If I had a free wish, I would keep on working with my group and develop the future of power systems.

In this weeks Who’s Who, we take a look at Andalusia in sunny Southern Spain where we talk with the head of work package 2, Juan Manuel Mauricio, who works at the Universidad De Sevilla.

Juan Manuel, please tell us about yourself!

I was born in Argentina, in a Patagonian city called Neuquén. My father has always been curious about technology and I inherited his passion for generators and electricity grids from a young age. Naturally, I proceeded to study electrical engineering at the National University of Comahue and eventually moved to Seville, Spain in 2004 to do my PhD with Atonio Goméz Expósito. Since then, I have been working with the Department of Electrical Engineering both as a teacher and also participating in research projects related to renewable energy generation, electronic converters and the dynamics of power systems. Additionally, I also cofounded a consulting company called Ingelectus, which maintains wind and photovoltaic energy projects around the world.

What are you doing in your spare time?

I like outdoor activities such as biking or hiking. My wife Patricia and I also have a two-year-old boy who really enjoys our walks around the parks of Seville and its surroundings. Therefore, this is what we do most when we are not working.

How did you get involved in EASY-RES and what are your responsibilities within the project?

Charis became interested in our work on virtual power plants and contacted me to ask if I wanted to help him with his project. I agreed and from there, we started to work out the proposal for the EU research-funding program Horizon 2020 and after we were approved, I took over the leadership for work package 2. There were many months of discussion and shared debate, which not only shaped the EASY-RES project but also helped to form a valuable friendship between us.

How does work package 2 contribute to the project?

Work package 2 works on the dynamic ancillary services that the distributed energy sources will provide to the rest of the energy system. Basically, we will control the future of renewable energy generation in such a way that the power system will remain stable even with a very small amount of conventional generators in the grid.

Can you tell us about an especially interesting or memorable experience you made during your work with EASY-RES?

I have made many valuable and memorable experiences. However, among my fondest memories are the dinners with the consortium in Greece. Not only did I get to know many of the people working on the EASY-RES project, we also had lots of interesting conversations, and last but not least: the food was extremely good.

What is something you would like to do or work on once the EASY-RES project is concluded?

If I had a free wish, I would keep on working with my group and develop the future of power systems. We have made some progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done!

Finally, Spain is known for its culinary cuisine: What kind of food would you not be able to live without?

During winter in Seville I like the “Cocido Andaluz” a lot – an Andalusian stew with a rich history which was invented by the Spanish Gitanos. In summer a refreshing Gazpacho is a must. Something you can always eat, is the Iberian ham. Combined with “Fino” wine, it is one of the best things on earth. I have to admit though, that I miss lamb with “Malbec” wine from back in Argentina.

Thank you, Juan Manuel!