The modeling of energy systems with high penetration of renewables is becoming more relevant due to environmental and security issues. Researchers need to support policy makers in the development of energy policies through results from simulating tools able to guide them. The EPLANopt model couples a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to EnergyPLAN simulation software to study the future best energy mix. In this study, EPLANopt is applied at country level to the Italian case study to assess the best configurations of the energy system in 2030. A scenario, the result of the optimization, is selected and compared to the Italian integrated energy and climate action plan scenario. It allows a further reduction of CO₂ emissions equal to 10% at the same annual costs of the Italian integrated energy and climate action plan scenario. Both these results are then compared to climate change scenarios through the carbon budget indicator. This comparison shows the difficulties to meet the Paris Agreement target of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 °C. The results also show that this target can only be met through an increase in the total annual costs in the order of 25% with respect to the integrated energy and climate action plan scenario. However, the study also shows how the shift in expenditure from fossil fuels, external expenses, to investment on the national territory represents an opportunity to enhance the national economy.

Recently, the local government of South Tyrol, a province in the alpine area in the north of Italy, has defined the guidelines for an energy and climate package with targets for 2050 where it is stated that-The yearly CO2 emission per capita will be reduced to less than 1.5 tons (less than 4 tons per capita by 2020 as intermediate target)-90% of the energy need will be covered by renewables (at least 75% by 2020 as intermediate target).Specifically, energy production from photovoltaics will contribute towards those targets with a total installed power of 300 MW by 2020 (around 0.6kW per capita considering population as of 2012) and 600 MW by 2050 (around 1.2kW per capita considering population as of 2012). These figures start from a baseline of PV installed power in the province at the end of 2012 of 220 MW (around 0.45kW per capita, around 0.28kW per capita in Italy for comparison). Although both targets seem easily within reach, it is nonetheless important to lay the right foundation through favourable legislation and long term planning.It is within these context that a detailed analysis of the real PV potential (as comprehensive and effectively exploitable) of the area is proposed so to understand how ambitious those targets really are and to provide data and information for future energy and strategy planning. In this work, in an innovative approach, the impact of novel solutions on non-conventional surfaces were also included such as PV installations on transport infrastructure, avalanche barriers, artificial lakes, etc. High altitude installations were also taken into account due to the high irradiance values in the alpine area which are comparable to those in South of Italy (up to 2200 kWh/m2 per year). Limitations due to costs, phasing out of generous incentives programs, restrictive laws (for instance, architectural and environmental constraints) were considered, too.The different technical aspects will be presented from the use of existing solar cadastres and databases to statistical analysis based on the morphology of different urban contexts. The roof (and façade) potential will then be added to the potential from the above mentioned non-conventional surfaces with the final aim of providing a figure for PV potential that takes into account planning permissions, restrictions, structural limitations, current legislation, visual impact and costs

The paper presents an analysis of the operating parameters of the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) systems in Italy in the years from 2006 to 2013, studying the environmental and economic impact of renewable energy sources spread on CCGT. Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) sources development, electricity demand reduction and CCGT overcapacity have affected the CCGT systems that have had to operate at partial load, experiencing several rump-up/down cycles in a day. The consequent increase of CO ₂ emission and costs have to be considered in a RES high penetration future scenario. The paper aims to evaluate the net avoided emissions by RES and the cost that Italy have incurred to avoid to emit a tonne of CO ₂ . To reach the high penetration of RES targets the attention is switching from the problem of adding more renewable energy installations to the problem of managing the whole “green” electricity production in a smarter way. Considering all the indirect effects caused by RES on the electricity system is essential for everyone who wants to analyse future scenarios.

This paper presents an exploratory study on planning city refurbishment for the energy transition of Smart Cities. This study was carried out at the district scale in a European pilot city. The applied district template approach is inherited from the EU funded project SINFONIA. We describe this approach which was first explored in the city of Bolzano, based on the analysis of spatialized datasets. The different districts types are first identified and their energy consumption is simulated with a specific tool developed within SINFONIA. In addition to providing key information on the different district types (e.g. energy consumption), the simulations allow to identify the districts with the highest potential for energy refurbishment. The corresponding potential gains, in terms of heat demand, are then simulated in order to confirm how the city refurbishment plans should prioritize the different districts. This is a first step to support, in a quantitative way, the complex exercise of planning urban refurbishment. Our explanatory study confirms the interest of the district template approach. Routes to improve the approach and replicate it to other European cities to demonstrate its relevance are finally presented.