Is the Energy Transition Possible? Challenges and opportunities
The presentation explores the concept of energy transition as a necessary and urgent step toward a decarbonized economy, with a focus on sustainability, energy security, and geopolitical independence. It outlines key European goals for 2030 and 2050 and examines models of technological transition, the role of renewable sources, cost analysis and the potentials of green technologies. The current energy systems in Europe face some vulnerability related to geopolitical tensions, highlighting the strong dependence on fossil fuels, foreign critical materials, etc. Furthermore, the accelerating pace of the energy transition also potentially exposes energy systems to security issues worldwide. The presentation advocates concrete actions: clean electrification, energy efficiency, innovation and adoption of new technologies such as smart and microgrids, more interconnections, and storage. An effective “green industrial revolution” requires a systemic vision, coherent policies, and a comprehensive understanding of technological, economic, and social complexities.
Bio
IEEE Life Fellow, Professor at Politecnico di Bari, Italy
Massimo La Scala received is PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Bari, Italy in 1989. Since 2000 he is Full professor of Electrical Energy Systems. Since 2011 is Director of Lab ZERO a Laboratory for the development of renewables, energy efficiency and smart grids, at Polytechnic of Bari, Italy.
He has been Associate Professor at University of Naples “Federico II” and Visiting Professor at Arizona State University, Washington State University and Waterloo University, Canada and Universidad de Castilla La Mancha.
His research activity is in the field of Electrical Energy Systems, Power System Analysis and Control, Transmission systems, High Performance Computing, Power system stability, Smart grids, Integration of Renewables, Energy Communities.
He is IEEE Power Engineering Society Fellow-Class 2007 with the citation: “Contributions to the development of computationally efficient power system dynamic performance simulation and control methodologies”.
He has coauthored more than 320 scientific publications, contributed to 22 chapters in scientific books and is editor of 4 books in the energy systems realm.
He has been Principal Investigator in 32 research projects on Electrical Transmission systems, Power system dynamics, Smart grids, Smart cities, Critical Infrastructures, High performance computing.
He has been consultant for major companies, European Commission, public European agencies operating in the energy field, Energy regulators in Italy, Latvia and Turkey.
In 2010 Prof. La Scala is appointed by the Italian Energy Regulation Authority (now ARERA) as Member of the Panel of Experts for projects on active networks and smart grids.
Since 2018 he is member of the panel of 13 independent experts appointed by the Italian regulator (ARERA) for the planning of the Italian Transmission Electricity Grid (owned by TERNA S.p.A.).
He has been in the panel of experts of the Italian Ministry of the University and Research for issuing the Program of the Scientific Research 2021-2027 on “Critical infrastructures and Networks”.
Since 2021 he is in the Consultative Group of the International Energy Agency (IEA) to support the Project: Smarter digital power infrastructure to enhance energy efficiency, resilient systems, and energy transitions.Since 2021, he is Member of the Scientific Committee of the Energy Research center RSE S.p.A. (Ricerca Sistema Energetico) in Italy.
Cheap, fast and secure energy transition: the role of innovation and the initiatives of the European Innovation Council
The talk will present the strategies that the European Union is adopting to support transformational and non incremental research in Europe, in order to address the major challenges of a secure, fast and clean energy transition. The EU policy priorities in the energy sector will be discussed, with examples and lessons learnt during the 4 years mandate as program manager for energy systems and green technologies at the European Innovation Council. The presentation will discuss the role of energy storage, hydrogen, CO2 management and valorization, and how digital transition and power electronics could contribute to address the ambitious goals set by the EU. Some examples of researches transferred to business and enterprise with the support of the EIC will be also presented.
Bio
Antonio Marco Pantaleo
Associate professor of the University of Bari Aldo Moro, research fellow at the Dept of chemical engineering of Imperial College London, and EIC Ambassador.
Antonio Marco Pantaleo is associate professor of energy systems and the University of Bari Aldo Moro, research fellow at the Dept of chemical engineering of Imperial College London, and EIC Ambassador since jan 2025. He spent the last 4 years as program manager for energy systems and green technologies at the European Innovation Council, orchestrating portfolios of research projects in the fields of green hydrogen generation, energy storage, CO2 and N management and valorization, clean heating and cooling, with a total budget over 120 Meur. He worked with many start ups funded by the EIC, exploring synergies, fund raising, killer applications, and developing outreach activities with the many stakeholders of the innovation ecosystem. he authored over 120 peer reviewed publications, with research interests in the area of thermoeconomic optimization, cost-benefit analyses, clean heating and cooling, biomass to energy routes.