Enabling smart energy use

This work is focused on a specific segment of devices that facilitate a smart use of energy. Throughout this document a Smart Meters Solutions analysis will be showcased. The aim of this work is to combine and explain key information about the technology being implemented, analysis of the impacts of the use of smart meters in the customer consumption of energy, the key benefits offered by the technology in contrast to its predecessor, the functionalities and customer interface options, as well as to address the security concerns that have arose as a result of the expanding smart metering technology deployment

The challenging paradigm of interrelated energy systems towards a more sustainable future

This paper brings together several contemporary topics in energy systems aiming to provide a literature review based reflection on how several interrelated energy systems can contribute together to a more sustainable world. Some directions are discussed, such as the improvement of the energy efficiency and environmental performance of systems, the development of new technologies, the increase of the use of renewable energy sources, the promotion of holistic and multidisciplinary studies, and the implementation of new management rules and "eco-friendly and sustainable" oriented policies at different scales. The interrelations of the diverse energy systems are also discussed in order to address their main social, economic and environmental impacts. The subjects covered include the assessment of the electricity market and its main players (demand, supply, distribution), the evaluation of urban systems (buildings, transportation, commuting), the analysis of the implementation of renewable energy cooperatives, the discussion of the diffusion of the electric vehicle and the importance of new bioenergy systems. This paper also presents relevant research carried out in the framework of the Energy for Sustainability (EfS) Initiative of the University of Coimbra, linking the reviewed areas to the multidisciplinary approach adopted by the EfS Initiative. To conclude, several research topics that should be addressed in the near future are proposed