No abstract

The increasing energy consumption of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is one of the main concerns in the building sector. Fault detection technologies are now indispensable for energy efficiency and performance improvement. In this paper, a methodology for the robust and reliable fault detection and diagnosis is presented as a two-stage framework composed by an offline stage where the models are built and an online stage that is constantly receiving new samples. The system includes a novelty detection scheme developed using one-class support vector machines (OC-SVM) and a classifier built using SVM. The proposed strategy is applied to a dataset for a single-zone constant air volume air handling unit. The experimental results show that the novelty detection stage adds robustness layer to the typical classification scheme.

Smart energy factories are crucial for the development of upcoming energy markets in which emissions, energy use and network congestions are to be decreased. The virtual power plant (VPP) can be implemented in an industrial site with the aim of minimizing costs, emissions and total energy usage. A VPP considers the future situation forecasting and the situation of all energy assets, including renewable energy generation units and energy storage systems, to optimize the total cost of the plant, considering the possibility to trade with the energy market. For a VPP to be constructed, a proper communication system is essential. The energy management system (EMS) enables the monitoring, management and control of the different energy devices and permits the transference of the decisions made by the VPP to the different energy assets. VPP concept is explained together with the methods used for forecasting the future situation and the energy flow inside the facility. To reach its benefits, the optimization of the VPP is assessed. After that, the communication technologies that enable the VPP implementation are also introduced, and the advantages/disadvantages regarding their deployment are stated. With the tools introduced, the VPP can face the challenges of energy markets efficiently.

Amidst the ongoing European energy crisis, the EU has proposed a legislative package to enhance gas independence from Russia, diversify energy supplies, and increase renewable energy targets. However, the urgency for energy security has led some countries to prioritise gas independence over decarbonisation, potentially sacrificing or delaying EU targets. Considering this framework, this article contributes to the body of knowledge by examining the electricity mix of the six most significant EU countries in terms of generation capacity, considers their alignment with 2025 energy transition goals, and analyses the latest legislative trends to evaluate their compatibility with EU objectives. The findings from these analyses indicate that EU members are currently prioritising gas independence, which has led to re-starting or extending the lifespan of coal-fired power plants and an increasing interest in nuclear energy as a low-carbon alternative. These findings have significant implications as they reveal how countries are being steered away from their pre-crisis energy transition paths, resulting in the formation of new perspectives for both the short and long term.

Climate change, economic growth and fossil fuel price volatility are forcing governments and thus society to adopt economical and technical measures in the energy sector to reach sustainability. These actions can be seen as opportunities for the stakeholders that form the energy market and also for new actors that may enter as a consequence of the energy transition that is taking place. In this paper, a description of the energy targets and potential market scenarios in Europe is carried out, together with a review of the policies implemented to achieve these objectives. Within this framework, the possibility of the industry to adopt a crucial role in the development of the new energy market is also analysed. The potential tools for its achievement are also presented, together with some of the techniques and mechanisms that make it feasible. From this study, it can be concluded that the industrial sector will become a major distributed prosumer, providing services to the energy market and facilitating the energy transition towards the decarbonization of the society.