‘Portugal can achieve energy independence and take a leading role in the transition to sustainability through an innovative electric mobility model.’ This reflection on the path of the energy transition in Portugal and Europe was presented by António Vallêra, Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, during a seminar promoted by the C²TN Academy – Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares – as part of the ‘Advanced Materials’ thematic line.
The opening session of the seminar, which took place on the 18th of June in the auditorium of the Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear (CTN) in Loures, was led by Nuno Barradas, a researcher at the C2TN, who welcomed the participants and gave a brief contextualisation of the guest speaker.
Under the motto ‘The Future of the Portuguese Energy System’, António Vallêra shared with the CTN scientific community his vision of the possible paths for the energy transition in Portugal, with special emphasis on the decarbonisation of the electricity system and mobility.
Throughout his career, as a scientist and researcher, he has also been a key voice in the defence of science and technical rationality in the energy debate. In his recent essay The Transition, he presents the thesis that Portugal has a unique opportunity to achieve energy independence in the electricity and land transport sectors, with significant environmental, economic and social gains. The electric mobility model based on battery swapping (BSwap) – appears to be an effective catalyst for the simultaneous decarbonisation of the electricity system and transport.
In his presentation, António Vallêra argued that the BSwap model represents an alternative to conventional fixed charging solutions, with disruptive consequences for both transport and the electricity system. He emphasised its unique economic and social impact in underdeveloped regions and its contribution to ending our dependence on oil. ‘Choosing a mobility model based on battery exchange is the fastest way, with the lowest economic and environmental costs, and the most socially acceptable,’ he said.
The need for a profound change in energy and mobility planning policies was also highlighted, with an impact on various areas – from the electricity grid and urban planning to the car industry and the organisation of the territory. António Vallêra stressed that electrification supported by renewable energies will not only transform the transport sector and the electricity system, but will also drive the progressive decarbonisation of industry, air conditioning and agriculture.
During the seminar, the complementary role of technologies such as nuclear, green hydrogen and energy storage in stationary batteries was also discussed. The speaker considered that the reuse of second-life batteries from exchange stations will be a very competitive alternative to direct investment in dedicated storage systems.
António Vallêra also called for an approach based on rigorous technical knowledge, arguing that a just transition requires ‘choosing the right path – the one that provides the lowest social, economic and environmental costs’. Finally, he issued a challenge to the scientific community: “I like to imagine how many of today’s industrial chimneys will disappear in the future”.
Read the full interview with Professor António Vallêra, available only in Portuguese, here.