Alessandra Scognamiglio

ENEA | ENEA · Renewable energy technologies | Photovoltaics and smart devices Division | Innovative devices lab

Agrivoltaics’ share of renewable generation is relevant for countries to achieve their energy transition targets. Agrivoltaics is the dual and synergistic use of the land by agricultural crop production and photovoltaic (PV) systems. For their development around a country, a fundamental step is to determine which areas are suitable. This research w...

In SYMBIOSYST (an EU funded Horizon Europe project started in January 2023) we will introduce innovation by adapting standardized cost-effective solutions in terms of PV modules, mounting structures and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) practices to the specific needs of various crops in different climates and landscapes. With this, we will avoid one...

Italy, with the highest number of UNESCO heritage sites worldwide and among the countries with the most ambitious renewable (i.e., photovoltaic) energy targets in Europe, is a living lab for experimenting with contradictions and synergies between a traditional idea of landscape preservation, and the new challenges offered by the introduction of pho...

The Trends report’s objective is to present and interpret developments in the PV power systems market and the evolving applications for these products within this market. These trends are analysed in the context of the business, policy and nontechnical environment in the reporting countries. This report is prepared to assist those who are responsib...

Land-use change has generally been considered a local environmental issue, but it is becoming a force of global importance. With the aim to decarbonize the economy, specific European policies have pushed the transformation of many crops to photovoltaic electricity. The realization of ground-based photovoltaic systems (GPVs) requires suitable spaces...

This paper presents the results of the analysis conducted on six case studies related to solar energy integration in urban and rural environments located on the Italian territory. The analysis has been carried out within the Subtask C-Case Studies and Action Research of the International Energy Agency Solar Heating and Cooling Program Task 51 "Sola...

As an answer to the increasing demand for photovoltaics as a key element in the energy transition strategy of many countries—which entails land use issues, as well as concerns regarding landscape transformation, biodiversity, ecosystems and human well-being—new approaches and market segments have emerged that consider integrated perspectives. Among...

It is widely acknowledged that the visual dimension of photovoltaics (PV) is fundamental for social acceptance. In this sense, the so-called Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is a possible catalyzer, as PV is hidden (integrated) into building envelope morphologies that are familiar to the public. It is crucial to be able to design and assess...

The need for shifting to urban renewable energy integration and use is critical when the goal is decarbonizing the global energy system. Due to cities’ integrating framework, the energy transition in urban environment towards renewable energy can be achieved in all end-use sectors, not only in power but also in heating, cooling and transport. Solar...

The individual country reports present a status overview of each European Cost Member country of Cost Action PEARL PV, as well as Cooperating Member country Israel, in order to provide an overview of PV system implementation, affiliated policies for renewable energy and PV research programmes across this group of countries in and around the year 20...

This paper presents a conceptual framework that looks at photovoltaic systems in synergy with ecosystem services. The focus is to connect business success with social and ecological progress based on the operative concept of multifunctional land use. Such an approach attempts to harmonise the needs of the industrial processes of photovoltaic system...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a critical review of the key trends in the integration of photovoltaic (PV) facilities into the built environment in cities. This is regarded as part of a series of measures towards wider use of renewable energy sources. Design/methodology/approach The problem has been approached from the point that...

Landscape quality has become a fundamental issue in the development of renewable energy (henceforth abbreviated RE) projects. Rapid technological advances in RE production and distribution, coupled with changing policy frameworks, bring specific challenges during planning in order to avoid degradation of landscape quality. The current work provides...

The article is a product of the COST RELY Action, it is a glossary: definitions related to renewable energy and landscape quality.

The paper systematizes geometric aspects relevant for understanding design of solar systems. The systematization is based on a review of literature dedicated to various kinds of engineers, including architects, involved in a multidisciplinary process of conceptualizing, designing and realization of PV systems. The understanding of the presented geo...

Poster presented at the 2018 NREL/SNL/BNL PV Reliability Workshop.

Photovoltaic technology is a key driver for achieving ambitious energy targets when designing a building. This technology is greatly suitable for the integration into buildings’ envelope surfaces, thanks to the technological features of the photovoltaic components available on the market. Moreover, the energy performance of photovoltaics is very go...

This technical report gives a review of 30 fully documented net ZEBs case studies that have been identified by the Sub Task C participants. It reports a compilation of all technical and non-technical information of the 30 case studies that formed the foundation on which the analysis of Volume 3 of the Source Book was based. 1.1 Objectives of Sub T...

Net Zero-Energy Buildings have been the object of numerous studies in recent years as various countries have set this performance level as a long-term goal of their energy policies. This book presents a unique study of 30 NZEBs that have been constructed and have had their performance measured for at least 12 months. The study is based upon an Inte...

Net Zero-Energy Buildings have been the object of numerous studies in recent years as various countries have set this performance level as a long-term goal of their energy policies. This book presents a unique study of 30 NZEBs that have been constructed and have had their performance measured for at least 12 months. The study is based upon an inte...

In this chapter, the data (buildings and measures) gathered from the Task 40 Net Zero Energy Solar Buildings Research Project is presented with detailed descriptions and summaries. As discussed in Chapter , the thirty case study buildings are partitioned into five groups by Climate and Building type. The measures deployed by these buildings are gro...

In this chapter, Net ZEB design is discussed from an architectural perspective. This can be characterized as bringing some issues traditionally the concern of Building Engineers (predominately energy-based) into the building design domain which has been traditionally dominated by an Architectural view point. Although the word design may have been u...

In this chapter, the methodology for analyzing the zero energy case study buildings is presented. The underlying principles of this methodology are presented in this introductory Section , including the potential ways in which the balance between energy load and generation may be calculated. The methodology itself is presented in Section . A summar...

The aim of this chapter is to examine the lessons learned by the design teams and the users of Net Zero Energy Buildings (Net ZEBs). The chapter presents observations, anecdotes, and experiences gathered from a series of selected face-to-face interviews with the design team, architects, engineers and occupants of Net ZEBs. Seven non-residential bui...

In Section the motivations and reasons for monitoring building energy and comfort are presented from the point of views of building manager and building occupants. The energy performance of the 30 Task 40 Case Study buildings is presented in Section . In Section a detailed description of monitoring Net ZEBs throughout the various phases of a buildi...

Ground-mounted large photovoltaic (PV) arrays are the least-cost design solution for installing PV, they account for the majority of the solar power installed today. With the increase of both the number and size of installations, the attention to their impacts in terms of land-use and land-transformation is growing, as well as concerns about landsc...

This paper deals with new considerations about the design of Net Zero Energy Buildings and Net Zero Energy Neighbourhoods in the future. The perspectives presented here are the results from an international work named Task40/Annex52 “Towards Net Zero Energy Solar Buildings” conducted within the framework of the International Energy Agency (SHC-EBC)...

The International Energy Agency (IEA), through the Solar Heating and Cooling programme (SHC) Task 40 and the Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems programme (ECBCS, now named EBC) Annex 52, works towards developing a common understanding and setting up the basis for an international definition framework for Net Zero Energy Building...

From 2012 to comply with the ED 2010/31/EU and its recasts, all new buildings will perform as Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NearlyZEBs). Buildings are going to be transformed through a careful design into energy generation systems, and the conventional, centralized system of energy generation is going to be replaced by a "web" of energy generation...

A photovoltaic (PV) greenhouse has a part of its transparent covering replaced by (opaque) PV components. This system allows for a " double use " of the resource land, because it generates energy in the form of biomass (crops, or flowers, or algae) and, also, electric energy. In islands, where land is limited, the energy demand is increasing; the u...

Net Zero Energy Building (NetZEB) design has become a crucial topic of research in recent years. Because of its complexity, discussion has been carried out on methodological criteria useful to define and assess NetZEBs (building system boundary, conversion factors, energy balance, interaction with the grid, monitoring, etc.), mainly with the engine...

The European Directive 2010/31/EU establishes that starting from the end of 2020 all new buildings will have a very low yearly energy consumption, which can be achieved by both highest energy efficiency and by energy from renewables, which shall be on-site or nearby (Nearly Zero Energy Buildings -Net ZEBs). It does mean a new " energy paradigm " ,...

In this paper, the authors show the results of thermal characterization of glass-glass photovoltaic facade installed at ENEA Research Center of Portici, carried out by means of an outdoor measurement campaign. The façade with integrated PV glass-glass modules was developed to replace a conventional glazed façade, shadowed by using an internal louvr...

Façades are the central element in the design and architectural definition of contemporary buildings. Several solutions, with different aesthetical appeal, perform the finishing materials of existing building and new constructions. A sustainable design process today is intended to produce high-performance buildings that are energy-efficient, health...

The International Energy Agency (IEA), through the Solar Heating and Cooling programme (SHC) Task 40 and the Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems programme (ECBCS, now named EBC) Annex 52, works towards developing a common understanding and setting up the basis for an international definition framework for Net Zero Energy Building...

Starting from the end of 2020, all new buildings will have to be Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (Nearly ZEBs—ED 2010/31/EU recast). This new ‘energy paradigm’ might be a revolution for architecture and for Photovoltaics (PV) too, but there are both cultural and technical obstacles to overcome. There is a need to re‐think the way buildings are designe...

The energy topic has become increasingly important in architecture: since buildings are big consumers of energy and architects and the public are interested in energy as never before. [Scognamiglio 2008] The Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) [EU 2010] establishes that starting from 31 st December 2020 all new buildings have to be Near...

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Net Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEBs) have received increased attention in recent years as a result of constant concerns about energy supply constraints, decreasing energy resources, increasing energy costs and the rising impact of greenhouse gases on world climate. Promoting whole building strategies that employ passive measures together with energy e...

Thanks to a new energy consciousness, driven also by European energy policies and national feed in tariffs, photovoltaic surfaces are becoming part of the image of our cities and landscapes. Unfortunately, despite the increasing in the use of Photovoltaics (PV) in the recent past, its architectural quality still seems not always satisfying. In a nu...

Starting from 2020 all new buildings will have to be Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (Nearly ZEBs - ED 2010/31/EU recast). This new “energy paradigm” might be a revolution for architecture and for Photovoltaics (PV), too, but there are both cultural and technical obstacles to overcome. There is a need to re-think the way buildings are designed (integr...

The shift from traditional fossil fuels to renewables is implying a diffusion of “visible” PV modules in our buildings and landscapes. In contrast with traditional fossil fuels, which were hidden in the ground somewhere, far from the city life, renewable energy generation systems, and Photovoltaics (PV) in particular, are visible. This change is ge...

The energy footprint of an inhabitant of today's cities in industrialized countries is larger than usually assumed if all forms of energy, including nutrition, are taken into account. In a post-fossil fuel and de-carbonised society, more land surface area will be required to fulfil human energy and nutrition needs. The paper outlines concepts for f...

Thin film photovoltaics is a particularly attractive technology for building integration. In this paper, we present our analysis on architectural issues and technological developments of thin film silicon photovoltaics. In particular, we focus on our activities related to transparent and conductive oxide (TCO) and thin film amorphous and microcryst...

The attention of the public for energy conservation is influencing the field of Architecture, and implies a new regard to the energy consumption of existing buildings, too. As a consequence, in historical cities, architects are asked to re-design buildings in order to improve their performance. For this re-design, very often, new energy production...

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are currently one of the more diffuse application of the photovoltaic technology; but another important field might be investigated in our country (Italy), that is the integration of PV systems in the landscape. It means the installation of PV systems in valuable sites, characterized by an high cultural valu...

An important subject to investigate in the field of the diffusion of photovoltaic systems is the development of landscape integrated PV components fit to the installation in valuable sites, that are characterized by an high cultural value (such as archaeological areas, natural parks, small islands). The aesthetic value of the components is the most...

The new regard of our contemporary culture for energy conservation is influencing the field of Architecture. Photovoltaics is now seen as a smart technology useful to transform buildings into " cool " contemporary energy generators. This new symbolic status of Photovoltaics is creating new architectural and market demands. This makes it more import...

One of the key of success for the building integration of PV seems to lie on the aesthetical aspect of the PV modules. The quality image issue is not so trivial since they are just the end users that need to be convinced to accept the installation and in any case the modules have to be integrated into the overall concept within the building design....

Renovation of existing residential buildings is an important field in Italy, where the building maintenance market is estimated to be in the near future about the 70% of the total construction market. [I] More and more often building maintenance is aimed to improve the energetic behavior of the building envelopes, and, consequently, to reduce the o...