The REPTES project recently showcased innovative research at the Carnot 2024 Belgian Symposium of Thermodynamics, held from December 16-18, 2024, at the University of Liège, Belgium. The University of Cagliari team, comprising Mario Petrollese and Mostafa Esmaeili Shayan, presented a study titled “Optimizing Hybrid Off-grid Energy Systems and Reverse Osmosis Desalination With Carnot Battery Technology and Model Predictive Control.” This research integrated a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant with renewable energy source-pumped thermal energy storage (RES-PTES) system to meet a farm’s energy and fresh water demands in Ben Guerir, Morocco. The study offered a cost-effective and for off-grid agricultural communities by employing Model Predictive Control (MPC) and machine learning-based predictive strategies. Remarkably, the research achieved a 69.4% reduction in the Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS), underscoring the economic feasibility of RES-PTES systems for agricultural applications.
Furthermore, the University of Liege team, comprising Vincent Lemort and Bentao Guo, presented research on “Theoretical Applicability Evaluation of Carnot Batteries for Agricultural Energy Demands in Farms.” Their study compared two systems: a heat pump supplying power and cooling demands and an electrical heater supplying only power demands. The findings revealed that the heat pump system offered superior economic advantages, particularly in scenarios of lower grid reliability and higher diesel-to-grid price ratios. These insights emphasize the potential for sustainable agricultural practices in regions with limited access to conventional energy sources, contributing to global sustainable development goals. The REPTES project’s research efforts, presented at the symposium through posters (Figure 1), reaffirm its commitment to advancing sustainable energy and agricultural solutions. These findings highlight the technical and economic feasibility of off-grid energy systems and their role in promoting sustainable agricultural practices in regions with limited energy access.


Figure 1 – Poster Presented at the Carnot 2024 : Belgian Symposium of Thermodynamics by Mostafa Esmaeili Shayan (left) and Bentao Guo (right).