Nicola Briguglio

This study evaluates a poly-generative (PG) system integrating a biomass-fed ICE co-generator, a photovoltaic (PV) system, and a PEM electrolyzer. Located in Rende, Italy (Lat. 39.3° N), the system is designed to reduce grid dependence by supplying electric energy for EV charging, hydrogen for FCHEV refueling, and thermal energy for building loads. The present work extends the energy assessment to four representative seasonal days, two mobility-demand scenarios, part-load ICE operation, and a Vehicle-to-Grid strategy to manage PV surplus and support fixed-load hydrogen production. This integrated approach aims to demonstrate the feasibility of decentralized energy systems combining renewable sources and biofuels. Under maximum-range conditions, the system reaches peak electrical and thermal outputs of 50 kW and 97 kW, respectively, while producing up to 9.23 kg of hydrogen per day for FCHEV refueling. The system successfully meets 100% of the building’s domestic hot water requirements year-round.

In order to address the climate crisis and reduce fossil fuel dependency, the REPowerEU plan and the "Fit for 55" package mandate a rapid green transition, including the transition to Electric and Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Vehicles (EV-FCHEV) by 2035. This study evaluates a poly-generative (PG) system integrating a biomass-fed ICE co-generator, a PhotoVoltaic (PV) system, and a PEM electrolyzer. Located in Rende, Italy (Lat. 39.3°N), the system is designed to reduce grid dependence by supplying electric energy for EV charging, hydrogen for FCHEV refueling, and thermal energy for building loads. The present work extends the energy as-sessment to four representative seasonal days, two mobility-demand scenarios, part-load ICE op-eration, and a Vehicle-to-Grid strategy to manage PV surplus and support fixed-load hydrogen production. This integrated approach aims to demonstrate the feasibility of decentralized energy systems combining renewable sources and biofuels. Under maximum-range conditions, the system reaches peak electrical and thermal outputs of 50 kW and 97 kW, respectively, while producing up to 9.23 kg of hydrogen per day for FCHEV refueling, the system successfully meets 100% of the building's domestic hot water requirements year-round.

The European Commission, through the REPowerEU plan and the “Fit for 55” package, aims to reduce fossil fuel dependence and greenhouse gas emissions by promoting electric and fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles (EV-FCHEVs). The transition to this mobility model requires energy systems that are able to provide both electricity and hydrogen while reducing the reliance of residential buildings on the national grid. This study analyses a poly-generative (PG) system composed of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) fed by biomethane, a Photovoltaic (PV) system, and a Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyser (PEME), with electric vehicles used as dynamic storage units. The assessment is based on simulation tools developed for the main components and applied to four representative seasonal days in Rende (Italy), considering different daily travel ranges of a 30-vehicle fleet. Results show that the PG system provides about 27 kW of electricity, 14.6 kW of heat, and 3.11 kg of hydrogen in winter, spring, and autumn, and about 26 kW, 14 kW, and 3.11 kg in summer; it fully covers the building’s electrical demand in summer and hot water demand in all seasons. The integration of EV batteries reduces grid dependence, improves renewable self-consumption, and allows for the continuous and efficient operation of both the SOFC and PEME, demonstrating the potential of the proposed system to support the green transition.

The European Union is moving towards a sustainable, decarbonized, and circular economy. It has identified seven key value chains in which to intervene, with the battery and vehicle value chain being one of them. Thus, actions and strategies for the sustainability of batteries need to be developed. Since Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a strategic tool for evaluating environmental sustainability, this paper investigates its application to two configurations of a sodium–nickel chloride cell (planar and tubular), focusing on the active material and the anode, with the purpose of identifying the configuration characterized by the lowest environmental impacts. The results, based on a “from cradle to gate” approach, showed that the tubular cell performs better for all environmental impact categories measured except for particulate matter, acidification, and resource depletion. With nickel being the main contributor to these impact categories, future sustainable strategies need to be oriented towards the reduction/recovery of this material or the use of nickel coming from a more sustainable supply chain. The original contribution of the paper is twofold: (1) It enriches the number of case studies of LCAs applied to sodium/nickel chloride cells, adding to the few studies on these types of cells that can be found in the existing scientific literature. (2) The results identify the environmental hot spots (cell configuration and materials used) for improving the environmental footprint of batteries made from sodium/nickel chloride cells.

Membrane–electrode assemblies (MEAs) designed for a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolyser based on a short-side chain (SSC) perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membrane, Aquivion^®, and an advanced Ir-Ru oxide anode electro-catalyst, with various cathode and anode noble metal loadings, were investigated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), in combination with performance and durability tests, provided useful information to identify rate-determining steps and to quantify the impact of the different phenomena on the electrolysis efficiency and stability characteristics as a function of the MEA properties. This technique appears to be a useful diagnostic tool to individuate different phenomena and to quantify their effect on the performance and degradation of PEM electrolysis cells.