Abstract: In this talk, hybrid energy with hydrogen deployments strategies are analyzed, modeled usign collaborative simulation. The different modeling levels of hybrid energy systems and hydrogen technologies will be presented as interconnected with community infrastructures. Collaborative simulation approaches are used to evaluate the utilization to plan hydrogen deployment in municipalities and community applications. The concept of energy semantic network is utilized to model energy networks and interconnected infrasturctures while defining key performance indicators. The collaborative simulation will enable the definition of different strategies and scenarios and optimize based on performance, risks, and transactive energy. Case studies will be presnted with energy, nuclear, transportation, hydrogen, and water networks as interfaced with infrastructures.

Biography: Dr. Gabbar is a full Professor in the Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering, the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, at Ontario Tech University (UOIT), where he has established the Energy Safety and Control Lab (ESCL), Smart Energy Systems Lab, and Advanced Plasma Engineering Lab. He is the recipient of the Senior Research Excellence Aware for 2016, UOIT. He is recognized among the top 2% of worldwide scientists with high citation in the area of energy. He is a Fellow IET (FIET) and a Distinguished Lecturer – IEEE NPSS on Nuclear-Renewable Hybrid Energy Systems and Plasma-based Waste-to-Energy. He is leading national and international research in the areas of smart energy grids, energy safety and control systems, and waste-to-energy using advanced plasma technologies. Dr. Gabbar obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1988 with first class of honor from the Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University (Egypt). In 2001, he obtained his Ph.D. degree from Okayama University (Japan). From 2001 till 2004, he joined Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan), as a research associate. From 2004 till 2008, he joined Okayama University (Japan) as an Associate Professor, in the Division of Industrial Innovation Sciences. From 2007 till 2008, he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Toronto. He also worked as process control, safety, and automation specialist in energy and oil & gas industries. Dr. Gabbar has more than 230 publications, including patents, books / chapters, journal and conference papers.

Abstract: The author’s of this Keynote study on compensation, meaning reduction of excessive currents in electrical systems, are motivated by the need to lower the cost of electric energy delivery. This motivation strongly fits the power systems strategy of lowering, by power dispatch, the costs of energy delivery, as well as reducing the impact of electric energy production upon the environment. The development of renewable energy sources seems to be in sharp contrast to this optimization-oriented motivation. Optimization requires that the cost of harvesting such sources is known. It is a compound of various factors, such as the environmental impact, the use of the Earth’s resources, development, maintenance, and profits, to finally include social and political implications. Unfortunately, the latest seems to be the dominating ones. Renewable sources are supported by various economic incentives from states’ budgets. This support disturbs free market mechanisms, so economic optimization is losing its sense. Wind and solar energy do not cost, so in public perception, their use as electricity sources should reduce energy bills. However, the former president of the European Union (EU) Council said recently that bills for electricity in the EU are 2.5 times higher than in the US. He blamed EU policy towards reducing CO2 emissions for that. Government subsidies are not visible, moreover, in bills for electricity. Their increase could be only the tip of a huge iceberg. Consequently, the question: “Who knows how much harvesting renewable sources costs?” is legitimate and deserves investigation.

Biography: Leszek S. Czarnecki, IEEE Life Fellow, Distinguished Professor at Louisiana State University, Titled Professor of Technological Sciences, granted by the President of Poland. He received Ph.D., and D.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from the Silesian University of Technology, Poland. For two years he was with the Power Engineering Section, of the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada. In 1989 Dr. Czarnecki joined the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Louisiana State University.
For developing a power theory of three-phase systems with nonsinusoidal and asymmetrical voltages and currents and for methods of compensation of such systems he was elected to the grade of IEEE Fellow in 1996.
Development of the Currents’ Physical Components (CPC) – based power theory was the major professional Dr. Czarnecki’s contribution to electrical engineering, for which he was nominated to the IEEE Proteus Charles Steinmetz Award. In 2019 Stanford University, USA, recognized Dr. Leszek S. Czarnecki as the World’s 2% best faculty. A book titled: Powers in Compensation in Circuits with Nonsinusoidal Currents, is currently printed by Oxford University Press.
Leszek S. Czarnecki was decorated by the President of Poland, for activity in the United States of America, aimed at the acceptance of Poland in NATO, with the Knight Cross of the Medal of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
Dr. Czarnecki was involved in mountaineering and underwater photography. He climbed, without oxygen support, Lhotse (No. 4 in the World) in the Himalayas (8350m); he completed the first climbing of the main ridge of the Rwenzori Mountains in Central Africa (19 summits of an average high of 5000m), climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, and Mt. Kenya; traversed on ski (500km) Spitsbergen in the deep Arctic; climbed in Alpes and Andes; climbed solo Denali in Alaska, the highest mountain in North America, and traveled to Antarctica.

Abstract: This study presents the development of an experimental heat pump prototype based on the elastocaloric effect—a promising solid-state cooling mechanism that leverages the reversible thermal response of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) under mechanical loading and unloading. Unlike conventional vapor-compression systems, elastocaloric cooling offers a potentially more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative, as it eliminates the need for refrigerants with high Global Warming Potential. The research is part of the project SUSSTAINEBLE (a Solution Using Solid-STate cooling: An INvestment Eco-compatiBLE) funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) of Italy. The aim of this research, carried out by the group of the University of Naples Federico II, is the developing of a demonstrative prototype of the first Italian elastocaloric device for air conditioning. Air is the auxiliary fluid that will be used to avoid an intermediate heat exchanger. The operation of the device based on the AeR cycle uses a rotary mechanism that ensures a continuous flow of hot and cold air. A 2D rotative numerical model has been developed through COMSOL to attain the device's potential cooling and heating capacities and to optimize the geometrical parameters and the operative conditions of the device. The experimental setup utilizes nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloy elements, selected for their significant latent heat and mechanical resilience. The results of numerical simulations carried out following the optimization of the geometric parameters of the device are presented to analyze its potential in terms of energy performance. This work contributes to the growing body of research on solid-state cooling technologies and provides insights into the engineering and operational considerations necessary for scaling elastocaloric systems toward commercial viability.

Biography: Adriana Greco is Full Professor of Applied Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer at the University of Naples Federico II, where she coordinates the research group on refrigeration and heat transfer. She holds a cum laude degree in Chemical Engineering (1994) and a PhD in Thermo-Mechanical Systems Engineering (1997) from the same university. Her research focuses on applied thermodynamics, convective heat transfer, refrigerants, and solid-state refrigeration, with particular expertise in elastocaloric cooling.
She has authored over 140 scientific publications, including more than 50 on caloric cooling technologies, and has an h-index of 40 with 3055 citations (Scopus, 2025). She was Principal Investigator of the SUSSTAINEBLE project, funded by the Italian Ministry of University, and leads the Italian unit of the EIC Pathfinder Challenge 2023 project SMACOOL.
Prof. Greco collaborates internationally with institutions in China, Spain, Germany, and India. She is Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Sustainability for Energy, Associate Editor of International Journal of Heat and Technology, and serves on editorial boards of several journals. She is a reviewer for over 100 international journals and an active member of IIF-IIR, IES, and AIGE. She was listed among the World's Top 2% Scientists in both 2020 and 2022 for career impact and annual output.

Abstract: Nickel-titanium alloys commonly called as nitinol, a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA), is recognized as next generation alloy [1]. Nitinol is a family of titanium based intermetallic materials that contain nearly equal amount of nickel and titanium, has been widely employed in many applications such as biomedical, actuators, aerospace and automotive devices. In near-equiatomic NiTi alloys, shape memory effect and superelasticity are due to thermoelastic martensitic transformation from parent austenite phase with B2 structure to the monoclinic (M) or rhombohedral (R) martensitic phase transformation. The biocompatibility, and exquisite properties of nitinol SMA have gained a lot of popularity among these several combinations, and allow to obtain smart material with shape memory effect and superelastic properties. Due to the functional properties of nitinol SMAs, their biomedical application has proven to be more successful by increasing the possibility as well as the performance of minimally invasive surgeries. The combination of nickel-titanium SMA is highly biocompatible which makes them useful as orthopedic implants, surgical instruments, cardiovascular devices, and orthodontic devices. The reversible austenite-to-martensite solid state transition under stress that occurs in Nitinol is associated to a release of heat, and this phenomenon is widely investigated in literature for the application in solid-state cooling devices [2]. Elastocaloric cooling based on NiTi SMA exhibits excellent cooling capabilities. Due to the high specific latent heats activated by mechanical loading/unloading, large temperature changes can be generated in the material. The small required work input enables a high coefficient of performance. Solid-state cooling is an environmentally friendly, no global warming potential alternative to vapor compression-based systems.

Biography: Dr. Assunta Borzacchiello has served as Senior Researcher and Research Director at the Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB) of the National Research Council (CNR) since 2001. Her research focuses on polymeric materials, biomaterials, smart materials, tissue engineering, controlled drug release, microfluidic techniques and rheology/microreology of complex fluids for biomedical applications.
She earned a summa cum laude M.S. in Chemical Engineering (1994) and a PhD in Materials Technologies (1998) from the University of Naples "Federico II". Notable academic roles include Visiting Scientist positions at Queen Mary and Westfield College (London, 1996) and the University of Connecticut (USA, 1997), Professor of Biomaterials at the University of Naples (2002–2011), and Visiting Professor at McGill University (Canada, 2018–2019).
With extensive international collaborations across leading research institutes and biomedical industries, she has authored over 120 peer-reviewed articles, 16 book chapters, and edited Wiley’s Encyclopedia of Composites (H-index 43, 6,559 citations). She has been Principal Investigator of many research projects among which MIUR-PON ARS01 for medical biotechnological products, POR Campania’s ADViSE on marine antitumor drugs, and bilateral programs with Egypt and Quebec. She has supervised 10 postdocs, 9 PhDs (including Marie Curie fellows), over 50 undergraduate students, and organized 6 international conferences.

Abstract: Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires transforming academic research into scalable products that reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions. This keynote introduces modern, mass-produced vacuum insulation technologies aimed at addressing energy efficiency in buildings and temperature-sensitive transportation sectors. The Vacuum Insulated Wallpaper (VIW), an ultra-thin, cost-effective solution, provides high-performance insulation with a thickness of 4 mm and thermal conductivity below 5 mW/m·K, enhancing energy efficiency in hot-arid and cold-arid climates. Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs), made from fiberglass or fumed silica, deliver exceptional thermal performance with conductivity as low as 2.5 mW/m·K at 15 mm thickness and 4.5 mW/m·K at 25 mm thickness, offering superior insulation in extreme climates with less space compared to traditional materials. The decorative integrated VIP (MCM and Metal) offers fire-resistant and weather-proof external insulation, achieving conductivity below 7 mW/m·K at 30 mm thickness, leading to up to 22% energy savings and significant reductions in noise and temperature rise. Beyond buildings, the Vacuum Insulated Bag-or-Box (VIBB) system incorporates flexible VIPs and polyurethane (PU) to maintain internal temperatures without external cooling, crucial for cold chain logistics and the transportation of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and food products. VIBB systems are tailored to specific applications, including the Medical Box, Deep Cold Box, Rolling Cart Cover, and Fresh Bag, each designed to meet diverse temperature control needs. These innovations collectively contribute to global sustainability efforts by improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon footprints, and ensuring safe, efficient transport across various industries.

Biography: Prof. Dr. Saim Memon, CEO and Industrial Professor of Renewable Energy Engineering, unifies academic research and development, industrial manufacturing, and product distribution in the global market. Prof. Saim ranked in the top 0.96% worldwide in the field of Energy and the Top 0.86% overall among all scholars worldwide over the past 5 years (ScholarGPS) as a result of extensive academic and research contributions that includes 120+ research publications, 41 taught modules (with module leadership) in electrical, electronic, mechanical, and renewable energy engineering with over 90% student satisfaction, along with successful supervision of 2+ PhD projects, 12+ MSc/MEng projects, and 23+ BEng (Hons) projects. He has held 50+ invited/keynote speakerships, engaged in research collaborations with 40+ countries worldwide, accumulated 1600+ citations with a 23+ h-index and a 52+ i10-index, served in 5+ editor-in-chief and guest editorships, and fulfilled 40+ journal reviewer roles. Prof. Saim has also demonstrated his academic leadership and made significant contributions to lead research group and MSc/MEng/BEng (Hons) courses directorship and degree apprenticeships with development and validation. Prof Saim built his academic research career in the UK, earned PhD in Mechanical, Electrical & Manufacturing Engineering; PGCert in Teaching Qualification; MSc in Mechatronics; and BEng (Hons) in Electrical Engineering (1st Class Distinction). Prof Saim is also a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of Higher Education Academy, holding Qualified Teacher Status granted by General Teaching Council for Scotland in the UK. Prof. Saim has world-leading multidisciplinary research expertise in Electrical, Mechanical, and Renewable Energy Engineering. His specific research experiences encompass net-zero energy buildings, vacuum insulation, thermal management of electric vehicle batteries, translucent vacuum insulation panels, energy materials for vacuum insulated smart windows, vacuum-based photovoltaic solar thermal collectors, applied semi-transparent photovoltaics and switchable films, renewable energy technologies, thermoelectric devices for energy harvesting and smart grid integration into electric vehicles with fast-charging battery mechanisms.