Michela Longo

By Michela Longo, Federica Foiadelli and Wahiba Yaïci

Across the globe, governments have been tackling the concerning problem of air-polluting emissions by committing significant resources to improving air quality. Achieving the goal of air purification will require that both the private and public sectors invest in clean energy technology. It will also need a transition from conventional houses to smart houses and from conventional vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). It will be necessary to integrate renewable energy sources (RESs) such as solar photovoltaics, wind energy systems and diverse varieties of bioenergies. In addition, there are opportunities for decarbonisation within the transportation sector itself. Paradoxically, it appears that the same transportation sector might also present an opportunity for a speedy decarbonisation. Statistics indicate that transportation is responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, there are numerous options for viable clean technology, including the plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). There are indeed many technologies and strategies, which reduce transportation emissions such as public transportation, vehicle light weighing, start-stop trains, improved engine technology, fuel substitution and production improvement, hydrogen, power-to-gas, and natural gas heavy fleets. This work concentrates on EV adoption integrated with RES. Specifically, this chapter examines the feasibility of significantly reducing GHG emissions by integrating EVs with RESs for sustainable mobility.

Part of the book: New Trends in Electrical Vehicle Powertrains

By Wahiba Yaïci, Evgueniy Entchev, Pouyan Talebizadeh Sardari and Michela Longo

To develop efficient and lower emission heating and cooling systems, this book chapter focuses on interests for the innovative combination of a heat pump (HP) and organic Rankine cycle (ORC) for building applications. In this state-of-the-art survey, the potentials and advantages of combined HP-ORC systems have been investigated and discussed. Past works have examined various combinations, comprising indirectly-combined as series and parallel, directly-combined units, as well as reversible combination configurations. Following describing such arrangements, their performance is discussed. Considerations for optimising the overall architecture of these combined energy systems are pinpointed using these same sources, taking into account heat source and sink selection, expander/compressor units, selection of working fluids, control strategies, operating temperatures, thermal energy storage and managing more variable seasonal temperatures. Furthermore, experimental works present further functional problems and matters needing additional research, and assist to emphasise experimental techniques that can be utilised in this field of research. Finally, from the studies surveyed, some areas for future research were recommended.

Part of the book: Product Design

By Michela Longo, Wahiba Yaïci and Federica Foiadelli

The trends of main interest on a global scale are those that can influence the development of humanity in the long term and are sometimes referred to as megatrends. The changes they bring with them can span several generations, profoundly changing society and, consequently, the competitive landscape of companies. The megatrends are numerous and each one involves the development of entire areas of activity. It is important to identify the megatrends of interest for strategic mobility planning and follow their developments, in order to consider them in the planning processes and correctly pilot investments. Megatrends are made possible and also influenced by the offer of new technologies, and lead to changes in cultural models. This chapter shows an era characterized by major technological innovations that are changing people’s ways of thinking and acting, with the establishment of new mobility models in order to meet new emerging needs.

Part of the book: Self-Driving Vehicles and Enabling Technologies