The Palermo Unit has a long tradition of research in the field of analysis and management of electrical power systems in both the distribution and transmission fields. More recently, the researchers belonging to the group have specialized their research activities following the most innovative evolutions of power networks in relation to the massive penetration of distributed generation, electrical storage and renewable sources and the pervasiveness of electronic and digital technologies. The main lines of research therefore refer to the study of the management logic of ‘smart grids’, with reference to both primary, secondary, and tertiary regulation and to the application of a similar architecture to ‘microgrids’, analyzing in particular the phenomenon of reduction of inertia as well as the design and management optimization. In the context mentioned, the methods of involving end users through the proposition of demand response policies, flexible resource sharing for aggregation purposes and technological frameworks that could support them, such as blockchain, are of significant interest.
Power transmission systems analysis and grid forming technology is also another core research activity carried out with the Italian TSO Terna and RSE (a company owned by the Ministry of Energy security and environment). In the same way, the analysis of the Medium Voltage DC systems technology in terms of impact and ancillary services offered to the AC grid are also widely considered by the research unit in a tight relation with RSE. Also of significant interest is the line of research dedicated to the smaller islands not powered by the main network, seen both as a laboratory for technologies to be exported to the main network and for the development of total decarbonization strategies.
The sizing of electricity production systems that can support the power station (typically diesel), such as photovoltaic and wind systems as well as storage systems, constitute a topic of great interest for the research group which has consolidated relationships with the distributors of the islands surrounding Sicily. The modeling of the islands as hybrid energy hubs, bringing into play the possibility of managing desalination, the production of energy from biomass and electricity consumption, has made it possible to apply optimization strategies and to identify the most significant variables in the management of the system ‘island’.
Another important research line of the Palermo Unit is electric mobility, which today represents, together with charging infrastructures, the most relevant challenge for existing infrastructures and for those to be built. Finally, the Palermo Unit has a long tradition of research in the field of electrical safety and earthing systems, in which it deals with providing solutions to improve the safety of MV and HV electrical systems and addresses the issue of identification of the global earthing systems.
