Tracks and Special Sessions

TRACK 1 – CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY

SPECIAL SESSION 1.1
Smart villages, Microgrids for Rural Electrification and Local Energy Communities

Chairs
Nikos Hatziargyriou (nhatziar@mail.ntua.gr)
João Peças Lopes (jpl@fe.up.pt | joao.p.lopes@inesctec.pt )

Description
Focus will be on the development of off-grid solutions, such as mini-grids and microgrids, to accelerate electricity access in developing countries. Topics include the role of energy communities and insulated power systems in combating energy poverty, the integration of renewable energy sources (RES) in insular and rural systems, control architectures and management tools for the microgrids and minigrids.

SPECIAL SESSION 1.2
Transmission and HVDC Infrastructures to Foster Large Renewable Projects

Chairs
João Peças Lopes (jpl@fe.up.pt | joao.p.lopes@inesctec.pt )

Description
Interconnectors and transmission infrastructures, also based on HVDC, are a key driver to foster the building of large renewable projects. This is an opportunity to attract investments and contribute to the development of remote areas or promote the integration of different systems. The session aims to report these projects worldwide highlighting opportunities and barriers and technology drivers. Topics include procedures to identify the renewable energy sources hosting capacity of the transmission grids and methods to assess the needs for transmission system expansion and reinforcement when integrating large renewable generation projects.

SPECIAL SESSION 1.3
Renewable Energy for Future Green Rural Energy Communities: Technologies, Integration, and Operation

Chairs
Riccardo Leuzzi (Polytechnic University of Bari, riccardo.leuzzi@poliba.it)
Hamzah Beiranvand, (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, hab@tf.uni-kiel.de)

Description
Renewable energy sources (RES) are strongly tied to the sustainable development of weakly-linked or remote areas that, due to their location and morphological features, are either isolated from the main network or are considered protected areas. However, many technical challenges remain open for the relatively weak rural networks because of their long distribution feeders and distance from the transmission lines, including power quality, variability of production from wind and solar plants, voltage regulation, budget-friendly and reliable power electronics for RES integration with the grid, etc.
This special session focuses on the latest advancements regarding the technology, integration, and operation of RES for the development of future green rural energy communities, aiming at exploring cutting-edge research for sustainable, efficient, and affordable rural electrification solutions. Topics of interest for this special session include, but are not limited to:

• Advanced Solutions and Technologies for the Integration of RES in Rural and Isolated Areas
• Technologies and Tools for Sustainable Rural Electrification
• Energy Storage Technologies and Integration in Green Rural Energy Communities
• Advanced Power Converters and Control Strategies for Rural RES Development
• Grid-Forming Converters and Power Quality Enhancement in RES-Based Green Rural Energy
• Communities

SPECIAL SESSION 1.4
Optimization, sustainability & resilience of energy distribution systems and final uses

Chairs
Kresimir Bakic, ELES Elektro-Slovenija
Giuditta Pisano, Università di Cagliari
Massimo Pompili, Sapienza University of Roma

Description
The session is focused on the sustainable energy optimization in the final use, ensuring sustainable and resilient energy management, energy consumptions, energy generation, energy distribution and uses. Europe wastes at least 20% of its energy due to inefficient components and systems. Final use optimisation and a proper distribution system are crucial bullets to overcome the green transition in a smart way considering cost reduction, environmental protection, sustainability, resilience, and climate neutrality principles.
In this view, the present session considers the items and scientific results of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan relative to Italian projects PE2 – Network 4 Energy Sustainable Transition (NEST) – Spoke 8 “Final use optimization, sustainability & resilience in energy supply chain” intimately related to these issues. The aims of the session are of course extended to similar projects and experiences worldwide.

SPECIAL SESSION 1.5
Solutions and resources for ensuring grid adequacy and supply accessibility

Chairs
Prof. Francisco Gonzalez-Longatt, University of Loughborough, UK/University of South Eastern Norway, Norway
Dr. Giuseppe Forte, Politecnico di Bari, Italy

Description
The increase of final uses electrification, along with the diffusion of distributed energy, poses challenges for developing and managing electric network configurations at different voltage levels. In particular, critical aspects aimed to be investigated by the contributions in this special issue could be individuated in (but not limited to):

• Islanded grids – either structurally isolated or managed as stand-alone systems – for the supply of customers and the integration of local renewable generation;
• Densely populated areas, where access to the electric network could find difficulties due to the high concentration of load and low operation margins;
• Tools for the provision of network services by distributed sources involving demand management and energy communities;
• Development of multi-carrier energy systems in order to provide coordinated and cost-affordable energy services for the users and the grid.

SPECIAL SESSION 1.6
Improving living standards through advanced technologies for optimal energy management strategies and Transactive Energy Frameworks

Chairs
Jie Wang, School of Electronic, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Yang Mi, Shanghai University of Electric Power, China

Description
Ensuring a secure and economical power delivery in remote or rural regions is crucial for improving living standards and fostering economic development through optimal energy utilization. This involves implementing energy management system (EMS) strategies for secure and economic scheduling and deploying renewable energy resources alongside hybrid energy storage systems to achieve environmental sustainability and mitigate climate change impacts. Some advanced technologies such as: artificial intelligence, robust grid-forming control applied to weak grids, Internet of Energy, Blockchain etc. enable remote or rural regions to attain a quality of life comparable to urban areas.
Additionally, incorporating communication and management technologies into the energy systems of remote or rural regions not only provides opportunities for the public and private sectors to advance their knowledge of information and communication technologies but also supports disaster relief efforts through efficient energy scheduling. For instance, in West of China, peoples still lack the latest digital technologies and there is a great need to address the transactive energy frameworks into such kinds of remote areas for more secure and economical power operations. This is essential in public, private, educational sectors and medical health care centers of remote regions.

SPECIAL SESSION 1.7
Cyber-Physical Energy Systems for Increasing Clean and Affordable Energy Solutions

Chairs
Quoc Tuan TRAN, CEA-LITEN, National Institute for Solar Energy – QuocTuan.Tran@cea.fr
Phuong NGUYEN, Eindhoven University of Technology – p.nguyen.hong@tue.nl
Le Anh Tuan, Chalmers University of Technology – tuan.le@chalmers.se

Description
Cyber-Physical Energy Systems (CPES) are essential for creating clean and affordable energy solutions. They can optimize energy generation, distribution, and consumption with high efficiency, improve consumer cost management, facilitate renewable energy adoption while enhancing grid resilience. As the CPES technology continues to evolve, it will play a crucial role in achieving a sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective energy future.
Topics include, but not limited to, the followings:

• Tools, modelling and co-simulation, real-time simulation for CPES
• Advanced forecasting of renewable generation and load demand
• CPES operation and management
• Multi-scale, multi-physics modeling
• Cyber-physical solutions
• Facilitating Affordable Renewable Energy Adoption
• Improving energy efficiency, stability and flexibility
• Optimizing Energy Generation
• Integration of electric vehicle and energy storage
• Protection, self-healing, and automation
• Flexibility determination, scheduling, and services
• Digitalisation, ICT, Digital Twin, and enabling technologies intelligent distribution grids
• Interoperability and cyber security solutions
• AI applications, clouds, big data and optimisations
• Industrial use-cases

TRACK 2 – CRITICAL EVENTS AND ADVERSE LIVING CONDITIONS

SPECIAL SESSION 2.1
Remote Sensing for Humanitarian Purposes

Chairs
Prof. Ferdinando Nunziata (Università degli studi di Napoli Parthenope, ferdinando.nunziata@uniparthenope.it)
Fabio Bovenga (CNR-IREA, Bari, bovenga.f@irea.cnr.it)

Description
Remote sensing technologies are becoming increasingly used for humanitarian aid and disaster prediction and management purposes. Nowadays, the availability of free-of-charge satellite-based remotely sensed measurements together with the proliferation of smaller, light-weight satellites triggered the development of a broad range of user-friendly added-value products in different thematic domains, including humanitarian applications.
On the other side, proximal sensing involves the use of sensors in close proximity to the target, e.g. mounted on a tractor bar or harvester or ground-based robot. These sensors are able to provide accurate measurements on finer resolution scales.
It is obvious that the intagration of remote and proximal sensing technology provide multi-mode and multi-scale information that are of paramount importance to trigger new added-value products.
This track is to stimulate the discussion about theoretical and operational aspects that ground added-value products generated from measurements remotely and proximity sensed from optical and microwave sensors and to propose new innovative methods and models to trigger new products for humanitarian purposes. The expected topics include (but are not limited to):

• Ocean domain: marine traffic control, extreme events, pollution, acquacolture, algae, etc.
• Land domain: inland waters, flooding, crop observation, desertification, disaster management, coastal area observation, agriculture, precision farming, etc.
• Urban: Urban growth monitoring; informal settlement monitoring, etc.

SPECIAL SESSION 2.2
Strengthening the Resilience of the Power System Against Natural Disasters

Chair
Nikos Hatziargyriou (nhatziar@mail.ntua.gr)

Description
This session focuses on the impact of natural disasters on power systems depending on the vulnerability of both the transmission and the distribution system.  Methods to figure out the causes of outages, identify preventive actions, and increase the resiliency of the system under such scenarios are highly desirable. New technology advancements including dispersed generation can provide resiliency control and enhancement.

SPECIAL SESSION 2.3
Nexus of Energy and Water in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with a Focus on Socio-economic Dynamics

Chairs
Prof. Alessandro Rubino – Bari University Aldo Moro – alessandro.rubino@eui.eu
Dr. Sandor Szabo – EC Joint Research Centre – andor.szabo@ec.europa.eu
Dr Magda Moner-Girona – magda.moner@ext.ec.europa.eu
Dr. Alberto Biancardi – Gestore Servizi Elettrici-GSE – alberto.biancardi@gse.it

Description
An integrated approach to water and energy management can create significant synergies and prevent negative compromises. Initiatives such as the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network highlight the importance of multi-stakeholder actions to achieve these goals, promoting fair and sustainable use and management of water and energy resources for all.
This session explores the interconnections between energy and water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on their socio-economic impacts. The expected topics include (but are not limited to):

1. Integrated Management Solutions:
   Emphasis on case studies and technologies that integrate energy and water management, optimizing resource use.
2. Socio-economic Impacts:
   Examination of how access to energy and water resources affects economic development, health, and education.
3. Policy and Governance:
   Analysis of policies, regulatory frameworks, and governance models that facilitate sustainable management of these resources.
4. Technological Innovations and Community Involvement:
   communities in project planning and capacity building.

With the Patronage of
Associazione italiana economisti dell’energia (AIEE)

TRACK 3 – LIFE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

SPECIAL SESSION 3.1
Integrated Networks and Services Toward Ubiquitous and Sustainable Digitalization

Chairs
Prof. Giuseppe Piro (Polytechnic University of Bari, giuseppe.piro@poliba.it)
Dr. Maria Rita Palattella (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, mariarita.palattella@list.lu)

Description
Despite the technological advancements made worldwide in the last years, approximately 3 billion people across the globe still lack access to the Internet. The resulting Digital Divide poses a significant barrier to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations, such as reducing inequality, promoting decent work and economic growth, advancing industry, innovation, and infrastructure, as well as fostering sustainable cities and communities. The disparities among regions and countries should be rapidly fixed for supporting better societal development while ensuring multiple opportunities for both citizens and businesses. To this end, many social, economic, technological, industrial, and governmental initiatives are promoting the study and the deep investigation of integrated networks (embracing both terrestrial and non-terrestrial segments) and services able to provide tangible and effective solutions towards ubiquitous and sustainable digitalization.  With these considerations in mind, this special session aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, industries, and policymakers to share and discuss recent and novel initiatives and solutions aimed at bridging the digital divide and, therefore, “connecting the unconnected”.
Specifically, it welcomes submissions of original research papers, case studies, and work-in-progress reports addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:

• technologies and energy-efficient infrastructures for extending Internet access to unconnected peoples and places
• policy frameworks and regulatory mechanisms to promote a ubiquitous and sustainable digitalization
• solutions and initiates targeting the “connecting the unconnected” challenge and the SDGs
• socio-economic impacts of connected communities and digitalization
• sustainable business models for ubiquitous and sustainable digitalization
• case studies, best practices, and project addressing integrated networks and services
• measurement and evaluation of Internet access and usage in underserved areas.

SPECIAL SESSION 3.2
Biomedical Engineering: a Technological Support to Equity in Healthcare

Chairs
Prof. Anna M. Bianchi (Polytechnic University of Milan, annamaria.bianchi@polimi.it)
Prof. Leandro Pecchia (Università Campus Bio-medico di Roma, leandro.pecchia@unicampus.it)

Description
Biomedical Engineering covers many different domains able to improve equity in healthcare delivery. ICT, wearable devices, big data analytics, make easier to reach larger sectors of population and to guarantee better access to the needed services worldwide.  On the other hand, also the optimization of the healthcare resources, the circular economy and the ethical issues are paramount for guarantee a fair distribution and use of the available resources.
This track aims to provide descriptions of novel technological solutions and applications for a better healthcare delivery and to promote the discussion about humanitarian needs in different countries and environments. The main topics include (but are not limited to): Telemedicine; Wearable and mobile devices; Clinical decision support systems; Circular economy in medicine; Low-cost healthcare solutions; Ethical issues.

SPECIAL SESSION 3.3
Innovative Teaching Methods, Virtual Labs, and Technologies for Remote Learning and Training

Chairs
Prof. Alfredo Vaccaro (University of Sannio, vaccaro@unisannio.it)
Prof. Ahmed Zobaa (Brunel University London, ahmed.zobaa@brunel.ac.uk)
Prof. Sergio Bruno (Politecnico di Bari, sergio.bruno@poliba.it)

Description
This special session aims to analyse the potential roles of enabling teaching and learning methodologies using Information and Communication Technologies in onsite/online environments to enhance specific know-how and technical skills in designing, operating, and maintaining power and industrial facilities in remote areas. The main idea is to enable knowledge transfer over interactive remote classrooms distributed along vast geographical areas by using innovative tools and methods for education and training, which may include virtual labs, real-time simulations, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments, augmented and virtual reality, virtual tools and workrooms for remote maintenance and technical training.

SPECIAL SESSION 3.4
New Frontiers in Electromagnetic and Optical Solutions for Improving Quality of Life

Chairs
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Magno (Polytechnic University of Bari, giovanni.magno@poliba.it)
Prof. Dr. Ilaria Marasco (Polytechnic University of Bari, ilaria.marasco@poliba.it)

Description
Improving quality of life has consistently been a primary driving force behind technological research. The concept of ‘improvement’ can be declined as ‘simplification’, ‘protection’ and ‘support’, guiding the identification of advantageous solutions. Electromagnetic field-based technologies have the potential to significantly impact the quality of life, enabling the realisation of devices and systems for monitoring (i.e. biological, industrial and environmental sensing), safety enhancement, and increased individual autonomy and mobility.
This session aims to showcase advancements in electromagnetic and optical solutions dedicated to delivering these benefits. Discussion topics will include:

• Augmented reality for memory and cognitive support
• Innovative automotive visors
• Biological, chemical and environmental sensors
• Logistic aids
• AI-assisted imaging systems for health and crop monitoring
• Smart antennas, metasurfaces and wireless devices for indoor/outdoor localisation and so on.

SPECIAL SESSION 3.5
Diversity Equity and Inclusion in Engineering

Chairs
Salma Al Arefi (University of Leeds, S.Alarefi@leeds.ac.uk)
Femi Adeyemi-Ejeye (University of Surrey, femi.ae@surrey.ac.uk)
Vishal Sharma (Queen’s University Belfast, v.sharma@qub.ac.uk)

Description
Emphases on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within engineering education and profession continues to address DEI challenges. Centre to solution focused approach, there remains a need for avenues to exchange knowledge, promote and showcase engineering innovations and practices that are making positive contribution to DEI related matters. Through this special session we aim to invite participants to showcase engineering innovations and research-informed practices that are making a positive impact to DEI challenges. Ranging from improving women life quality (health, diagnostics, cosmetics), to supporting neurodiversity (e.g., Augmented reality AR, Virtual reality VR) and fostering for globalisation (advances/accessibility of technologies and transportations).
As well engineering for diversity, equity and inclusion, the special session encourages discussions and disseminations of practices themed around engineering diverse, equitable and inclusive innovations and practices.

SPECIAL SESSION 3.6
Innovative approaches to “human-centered” teaching

Chairs
Prof. Andrea Mazza, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Prof. Carmen L. T. Borges, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Description
Today, and even more so in the future, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in our society seems to be omnipresent, and teaching activities are already being affected.
However, progress in teaching methodologies is basically “human-centered” and all the technologies involved are mere means.
This section aims to collect contributions that show the innovation introduced into our courses in the post-pandemic period (new approaches, case studies with well-established methods, joint program projects, etc.), and also new policies introduced by universities to support teaching staff to develop a more conscious involvement in day-to-day teaching activities.