A framework for integrity assessment of multiscale energy infrastructures

The climate change phenomena represent a global issue that could significantly impact on world economic and social systems. During last decades, several international bodies and institutions (like the IPCC) developed scientific techniques to analyse the causes and effects of these phenomena, their evolution over time and possible future scenarios. According to these studies, in order to face climate change and air pollutant emissions issues several targets have been hypothesized and proposed. In particular, the ones related to the Paris Agreement (COP21) can be mentioned. These goals require, in the mid/long-term, significant changes in the structure of the energy systems at global level, aiming at achieving their substantial decarbonisation through the so-called “energy transition”. The implementation of this transition could be obtained by means of different pathways. In particular, two extreme options can be identified. On one side, a wide electrification of final uses, coupled with power generation from renewables and long-distance transmission through global interconnections. On the other, small-scale energy systems based on electricity, heat and gas produced by renewables sources, characterized by power generation from wind, solar photovoltaic and small hydro and with a relevant role played by storage systems. It can be expected that the future configuration of the global energy systems will be a mix of these extreme solutions. In every case, however, a crucial role will be played by the infrastructures for supplying, transmitting and distributing energy. For this reason, the integrity of these infrastructures – at all spatial levels (transnational gas and oil pipelines, maritime routes, power lines, district heating networks, etc.) – is a key factor for ensuring the long-term energy transition strategies. The integrity measures the capability of a given infrastructure to perform its function according to what is requested and to be properly managed from several points of view, including safety, environmental protection, maintainability, productivity, etc. Therefore, it is a concept more general than “security”, as it is multi-dimensional. Furthermore, the integrity is directly related to the development of infrastructures. The evolution of the current energy systems in the sense of the energy transition needs to plan the infrastructures architecture according to criteria that have to be not only technological, but also able to consider all the possible issues that can threat their integrity. In a long-term perspective, these issues should not be investigated through ex-post analyses, but they should be taken into account as much as possible in the design phase. Starting from this, the main goal of the doctoral project has been the identification of a multiscale approach for assessing the integrity of energy infrastructures. A two-dimensional scheme has been proposed, considering different spatial scales (energy corridors, transmission/distribution infrastructures, local networks) and kind of threats (natural, accidental, intentional) and assessing the impacts on the integrity dimensions (technological, geopolitical, environmental, economic) In particular, five case studies have been considered, covering all the considered spatial scales with respect to different integrity dimensions and threats. They focused on the geopolitical supply security, the resilience of distribution infrastructures, the effects of renewables penetration, the reliability of district heating networks and the impact of innovative vectors on the security. The obtained results showed that this multidimensional approach can be useful in defining guidelines for the integrity assessment and the development of energy infrastructure under a holistic perspective, in order to support the policy decision-making about strategical investments and their prioritization, planning, management, and identification and ranking of criticalities

A systematic failure mode effects and criticality analysis for offshore wind turbine systems towards integrated condition based maintenance strategies

Condition-based maintenance is applied in various industries to monitor and control critical assets and to optimize maintenance efforts. Its applicability to the offshore wind energy industry has been considered for almost 20 years and has resulted in the development and implementation of solutions that have contributed to lower cost of maintenance and increased asset availability. However, there is currently no public domain guidance available that provides the information required to (i) prioritize systems for which condition monitoring would generate highest value and to (ii) understand the parameters that need to be monitored by a specific system from failure cause to failure mode. Both items are addressed in this paper, providing a clearly structured, risk-based assessment methodology and corresponding results for state-of-the-art offshore wind turbines. A total of 337 failure modes have been identified and analysed by experts representing approximately 70% of the European offshore wind market to assess potential benefits of condition monitoring systems. Results may be used to target the development of condition monitoring systems focusing on critical systems and to find optimal O&M strategies by understanding failure paths of main offshore wind turbine systems resulting in a lower cost of energy and a more optimal risk-return balance

AI Knowledge Transfer from the University to Society

AI Knowledge Transfer from the University to Society: Applications in High-Impact Sectors brings together examples from the "Innovative Ecosystem with Artificial Intelligence for Andalusia 2025" project at the University of Seville, a series of sub-projects composed of research groups and different institutions or companies that explore the use of Artificial Intelligence in a variety of high-impact sectors to lead innovation and assist in decision-making. Key Features Includes chapters on health and social welfare, transportation, digital economy, energy efficiency and sustainability, agro-industry, and tourism Great diversity of authors, expert in varied sectors, belonging to powerful research groups from the University of Seville with proven experience in the transfer of knowledge to the productive sector and agents attached to the Andalucía TECH Campu