Biomass-based technologies for the sustainable development of energy communities

Title : Biomass-based technologies for the sustainable development of energy communities

Abstract:

Worldwide growing concern about the increase in total CO2 emissions due to industrial and human activities is leading the way to the adoption of new sustainable strategies. International Energy Agency (IEA) has defined bioenergy derived by biological material as crucial for future low carbon energy system and a pivotal driver to meet European decarbonization targets. Biomass is attracting a great interest especially due to its versatility as renewable energy for energy applications ranging from traditional heat production for cooking, space heating to modern combined heat and power generation or biofuels production. Concurrently, Energy Communities have been recognized, under the Clean Energy for all Europeans package, as determining entities in achieving a more secure, affordable and cleaner energy system for the on-going Energy Transition by means of collective and citizen-driven energy actions able to increase public acceptance of renewable energy projects and attract private investments. In this framework, the present research study will show an overview of the latest advances in bioenergy production technologies and their possible integration in hybrid energy systems (HES) as flexible resource for both energy supply and energy storage. Case studies about the use of biomass-based renewable systems within off-grid and grid-connected energy communities will be discussed. Several scenarios will be analyzed including Organic Rankine Cycle biomass-based cogeneration plant cooperating with mini-hydro plant and a distributed photovoltaic system. Additionally, the significance of biomass in circular economy as renewable energy will be analyzed. Opportunities and challenges about its role as feedstock for bio-based energy production will be evaluated. Finally, new perspectives about trends, energy system modelling and multidisciplinary cooperation across nations to promote biomass-based energy communities will be provided.

Biography:

Lina Montuori obtained her Ph.D. cum laude in Industrial Engineering and the MBA from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain). Previously, she received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. cum laude in Industrial Engineering from the University of Naples “Federico II” (Italy) and then, an Executive Master in Digital Marketing and Analytics from the Catholic University of Avila (Spain). She worked at the Power Center for Utility Explorations of the State University at Buffalo (USA) and she has more than 15 years of a demonstrated track record of successful projects led at international top brand companies (Enel, Solaer Group, Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Corporation). At present, she holds the position of Professor at the Department of Applied Thermodynamics at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Furthermore, she is senior researcher at the Institute for Energy Engineering (IIE) and Author, and Editor with multiple and relevant publications in high-impact journals.