I am sure that the results of EASY-RES will be usable in energy markets and will significantly affect the daily work of IPTO in the future.

We continue our monthly Who’s who @ EASY-RES with George Papaioannou. George works as Director of Research, Technology and Development at the TSO Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE or IPTO). He has contributed to various EU projects and is eager to make research findings ready for application.

George, please tell us about yourself!

I have accumulated 35 years of work experiences, mostly in the energy sector, in various Engineering and Managerial positions in Greece and abroad. I have served as a Director in a number of Business Units of PPC, as Director of the Strategic Planning, Performance and Regulatory Issues Department as well as the Director of the Human Resources Department of the IPTO/ ADMIE, where I am now the Director of Research, Technology and Development. Here, I am managing several national and European research projects (all HORIZON2020: FLEXITRANSTORE, CROSSBOW, EASY-RES, CordiNet, SDN-microSENCE, 5G-VICTORI, FARCROSS, SYNERGY, ONEnet). Moreover, I could acquire significant academic experiences as a lecturer when giving courses in Engineering and MBA programs at Universities.

Originally, I studied Mechanical Engineering ( specialization in energy conversion) at STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, USA, finalized the Bachelor of Engineering in 1981 and a Master of Engineering in 1982. In 1996, I obtained my PhD in non-linear dynamics and chaos theory from the Department of Mathematics (Applied Analysis Section) of the UNIVERSITY OF PATRAS, Greece. My thesis topic was “The Analysis, Prediction and Modeling of Time Series generated by Non-linear and Chaotic Dynamical Systems”.

In 2006, I also received a Degree in Social Sciences (Labor Economics & HRM) from the LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, UK, a Postgraduate Degree in Management from HENLEY BUSINESS SCHOOL, UK (1999), and an Executive Education Certificate in Strategic Modeling and Systems Thinking from the LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL, U.K. (2001).

My current research interests are on the Modeling of Energy-Electricity Markets, on System Dynamics, analysis and forecasting of non-linear – Chaotic Time Series, Time Series modelling and forecasting and risk analysis and management in financial and energy markets. I am an associate member and visiting research scientist of the Center for Research and Applications of Nonlinear System (CRANS), UNIVERSITY OF PATRAS. Additionally, I am a member of the Research & Development Committee (RDIC) of the Network of Transmission System Operators, ENTSO-e, and a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

What is IPTO’s mission? 

IPTO/ ADMIE performs all duties as main operator of the Hellenic Electricity Transmission System (HETS). Our company’s mission is the operation, control, maintenance and development of ESMIE to ensure the country’s electricity supply in an adequate, safe, efficient, and reliable way as well as the operation of the electricity market which is related to the transactions taking place apart from those of the Daily Ahead Scheduling (DAS) in accordance with the principles of transparency, equality and free competition.

Prof. Charis Demoulias of AUTH (now the EASY-RES Project Coordinator) invited us to participate in the project, since the involvement of a TSO in the project is considered as a crucial factor for the successful implementation of the research results into practice through functional activities. IPTO responded positively, and we have really been enjoying a fruitful and constructive cooperation with all participants, while experiencing mutual benefits.

IPTO/ ADMIE as a TSO is involved in all technical EASY-RES WPs, particularly consulting on the development of metrics, setting requirements for the provision of inertial response and PFR by the DRES and whole ICAs as well as the specification of the required accuracy and complexity of the equivalent ICA dynamic models. IPTO/ ADMIE will also contribute to the reforms of the market regulatory framework.

EASY-RES is a very interesting project which promotes new technologies and develops control algorithms as well as innovative ancillary services. The conclusions that are abstracted from the laboratory tests and the research are also applied not only in other projects in which our Research, Technology and Development department is involved in but also in many papers that we are preparing. I am sure that the results of EASY-RES will be usable in energy markets and will significantly affect the daily work of IPTO in the future.

I very much enjoy the modelling, simulations and scenario planning. To see how the findings from the research project will in the near future affect IPTO’s and other TSO’s decision making processes related to the main research themes examined during the project, is what I appreciate the most.

And on a more private note: How do you wind down after a hard day of work?