Project Description

Born in Bologna, October 21, 1956. Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1981 with honors, and ‘Luigi Donati’ Award. University researcher in 1983, Associate professor in 1992, Full Professor in 2000.

Teaching: At the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Bologna, teaching the Power stations course from 1990 to 2000, Fundamentals of Power Systems from 2001 to 2005; Power Systems since 2001 to date; Electrical Installations and LV systems since 2004. Instructor and some Masters organized by the University of Bologna in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008. Instructors at several post-grade EES-UETP course. Faculty member of the Post grade Course Post “Génie Electrique” in the years 2001, 2002 and 2003 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPF) of Lausanne.

Research: Head of the Power Systems Laboratory at the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering of Bologna. Main research topics: Dynamics of electric power plants and of power systems, with particular reference to power system restoration after blackouts and to the influence of load modeling on voltage collapse simulations; Electromagnetic transients of power systems, with particular reference to lightning originated ones; Distribution networks operation in presence of small scale generating plants; Fault location in distribution networks; Decision support tools for power producers in a competitive electricity market; Characterization of innovative batteries for electrical vehicles applications; Waste treatment based on Joule-effect in-situ vitrification. Author or co-author of over 200 scientific papers published on peer reviewed journals or proceedings of international conferences, of four book chapters edited by dall’IEE, Kluwer, Rumenian Academy of Science and WIT press and of a couple of IEEE Standards and some CIGRE technical brochures. Keynote lecturer at tutorial and International conferences (SIPDA, ICLP, IHS, ICHQP, PSCC) and at foreign Universities (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology- Lausanne, University of Arizona, ‘Bangalore Institute of Science’, University of Sao Paulo, Lisbon Politechnic, University Politenicha of Bucarest, Kyoto Doshisa University). Responsible of several research projects financed by the Italian Ministry of Research and of several research projects financed by Italian and foreign companies and universities concerning restoration processes after blackouts, lightning interaction with power distribution systems, lightning protection of wind turbines, EMC and power systems, distributed generation and fault location.

International functions: Within CIGRE (International council on large electric systems ): member of several working groups, such as CIGRE WG C4.401 ‘Lightning’ (of which has been convener) from 1997 to 2007; CIGRE WG C4.107 ‘Power quality indices and objectives’; Joint CIGRE/CIRED WG on ‘Protection of distribution networks against lightning’; chairman of CIGRE Study Committee C4 “System Technical Performance” for the period 2006-2010. Within IEEE: member of Working Groups “Lightning performance of distribution lines” and “Distributed Resources: Modelling and Analysis”, chairman of the International Steering Committee of the International Conference IEEE PowerTech from 2002 to 2007, chairman of the Italian PES Chapter from 2002 to 2007, and chairman of the “IEEE PES Region 8 (Europe, Middle East and Africa)” since January 2009. Fellow of the IEEE and of the IET since 2007. Honoris causa degree, University Politenicha of Bucarest, 2008.