Introducing TEASIMED Project Manager Simone Biondi
Since last December, Simone Biondi took the role of Project Manager of TEASIMED, our ongoing project to be carried out, with the support of the European Commission, in the period 2020-2022. Selected among many candidates, Simone is a young Italian Energy engineer who previously worked several years as a Power System Planning engineer at Terna and as Project manager of Adequacy assessment at Entso-e. After these first four months of work, we had a little chat with him about his ideas and feelings about Med-TSO and its project.
Q: You worked several years in ENTSO-E: what do you bring with you from this working experience?
The experience at ENTSO-E was useful to grasp and embrace the complexity of electricity power systems and markets. It is probably not wrong to say, as I heard once, that it is one of the most complex machines that has ever been built. This complex machine is now asked to evolve rapidly in order to not jeopardize the important decarbonisation plan.
The role of ENTSO-E is absolutely strategic and fundamental in this sense. The benefit generated by the harmonized rules (e.g. Network Code), joint activities (e.g. RSCs) and common studies (e.g. development of long-term scenarios, TYNDP, adequacy studies, etc) are huge.
Q: How much did you know about the work carried out by our association so far?
The main work stream/chapter were quite familiar to me due to my professional background. I started my career working at TERNA, the Italian Transmission System Operator, as a power system planning engineer (doing network studies and CBA assessment). Then in 2014 I moved to ENTSO-E where I contributed to the development of the adequacy methodology and studies.
When I was at ENTSO-E I was always willing to widen the perimeter (which was already quite large). As an example, I contributed to the construction and the signature of the first cooperation agreement between ENTSO-E and Med-TSO.
Q: What do you think about Teasimed objectives? In your opinion, which is the most challenging one?
Hard to say. There are so many which are equally important.
Just to mention one, critical although known only to the experts, I will pick the development of Med-TSO Database (DBMED). This should become Med-TSO’s backbone for data sharing in all the technical activities of the Association.
But not forgetting the Mediterranean Master Plan, the first Med-TSO Adequacy studies, the development of harmonized Technical Rules (i.e. Mediterranean Network Code) and the implementation of Interconnected Electricity Exchange Zones (IEEZ).
Q: How do you think Med-TSO activities could meet EU energy policies in the Mediterranean Region?
As highlighted in the recently published EC Joint Communication on a “Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood – A new Agenda for the Mediterranean”, Europe and the Mediterranean region have interdependent, complementary, and converging energy interests based on the priorities of the green and fair transition and energy security.
All the Mediterranean countries signed the Paris Agreement and are deeply involved in the energy transition. The electricity sector has a central role to play in reaching those targets, but the only way to reach them is by integrating renewables into the value chain more rapidly.
Q: After these first months of work, do you want to say few words to the members and the people involved in Med-TSO activities?
Two things. First, I think that everyone involved in the electricity sector should feel excited for the challenges we have in front of us; a cooperative approach is, no doubt, the most energy intensive and time consuming, but it is the only way to build something durable.
Second, I am so tired of web meetings: let’s hope we can get a vaccine soon in order to meet again physically.