FiR.mt contributed to international research discussions on electric mobility, distributed energy systems and professional engineering engagement at MEDPOWER 2026, held in Paphos, Cyprus, from 3 to 6 November 2026.

The Foundation for Innovation and Research – Malta (FiR.mt) participated in the 15th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion (MEDPOWER 2026), bringing Maltese research to an international audience while contributing to technical discussions, professional engineering networks and the conference’s strategic development.

Organised by Frederick University and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Cyprus Local Network, with the support of the IET networks in Malta and Greece, MEDPOWER brought together researchers, engineers, academics and industry representatives working across power systems, renewable energy, electric mobility and energy technologies.

FiR.mt’s involvement included the presentation of scientific research on electric vehicle performance, chairing a technical session on distributed generation and microgrids, participation in the MEDPOWER Steering Committee, and representation of Malta’s professional engineering community during the conference opening ceremony.

Investigating Electric Vehicle Performance Under Maltese Driving Conditions

A central research contribution was the presentation of the scientific paper “Assessment of Representative Maltese Driving Cycles for Frugal Electric Vehicle Energy Consumption and Range Estimation”, authored by Vlad Costea, Brian Bartolo and Brian Azzopardi.

The paper was presented by Brian Azzopardi during the E-Mobility technical session on 5 November 2026.

The research investigated an important question for Malta’s transition towards sustainable transport: How accurately do standard international driving cycles represent the energy consumption and achievable range of electric vehicles operating under Maltese road conditions?

Malta’s relatively short travel distances, dense urban traffic, frequent acceleration and braking, and varying road gradients create driving conditions that may differ substantially from those represented by conventional European and United States driving benchmarks.

To investigate these differences, the researchers evaluated seven representative Maltese driving cycles derived from real-world data, alongside two international benchmark cycles.

A detailed electric vehicle model was developed using MATLAB/Simulink and subsequently implemented on a Typhoon HIL101 real-time simulation platform to compare numerical results and assess the consistency of the modelling approach.

The study produced several significant findings:

• Energy consumption: Simulated consumption varied between 53.34 and 95.34 Wh/km, demonstrating how different driving patterns influence energy requirements.
• Driving range: Estimated vehicle range varied between 120.62 and 229.11 km under the investigated driving conditions.
• Local driving behaviour: The shorter Maltese driving cycles produced an average estimated range 38.1% higher than the longer Maltese routes, although with greater variability.
• Real-time simulation: Comparisons between MATLAB/Simulink and Typhoon HIL produced a mean absolute range difference of approximately 3.9%, with consistent trends across the investigated cycles.

The research also examined different battery capacities, indicating that battery packs in the 10–15 kWh range could provide sufficient mobility for many typical Maltese driving requirements, under the conditions modelled.

These results contribute to the development of frugal electric vehicles, thats are smaller, resource-efficient mobility solutions, designed around actual transport needs rather than unnecessarily large battery capacities.

The findings are particularly relevant to Malta and other island environments, where more affordable electric mobility, lower resource demand and coordinated charging strategies could contribute to a more sustainable transport and electricity system.

The research forms part of the wider scientific activities supported through the European Union-funded GIANTS (Green Intelligent Affordable New Transport Solutions) project.

Encouraging the Next Generation of Mediterranean Engineers

Beyond the research presentation, Prof. Dr Inġ. Brian Azzopardi, Founding Chair of FiR.mt, addressed participants during the conference’s opening ceremony, representing the IET Malta Local Network within the Malta Group of Professional Engineering Institutions (MGPEI).

With young participants representing more than 30% of the conference audience, his intervention placed particular emphasis on the importance of engaging students, young professionals and early-career engineers in professional engineering networks.

He encouraged greater participation in IET Local Network activities, particularly across Malta, Cyprus, Greece and the wider Mediterranean region, highlighting opportunities for professional development, technical exchange, international networking and collaboration.

The address emphasised that professional engineering institutions provide an important connection between academic education, scientific research and engineering practice.

Greater involvement by younger generations can help strengthen these connections, develop future engineering leadership and sustain the long-established spirit of cooperation among Mediterranean engineering communities.

Chairing Technical Discussions on Distributed Generation and Microgrids

Prof. Azzopardi also chaired Technical Session on Distributed Generation and Microgrids, held on 5 November.

The session featured six scientific contributions addressing challenges and emerging approaches in electricity distribution networks, renewable energy integration, energy communities and grid flexibility.

The presentations explored coordination between distribution system operators and energy service providers within common European energy data spaces, the influence of photovoltaic generation and demand data resolution on electricity network hosting capacity, and distribution system state estimation for energy communities.

Other contributions examined experimentally validated dynamic modelling of distribution networks, vessel-specific electrical load forecasting for cold ironing and shore-power applications, and voltage regulation and techno-economic assessment of medium-voltage microgrids.

The session provided an important opportunity for international researchers to exchange methodologies, findings and perspectives on the challenges associated with increasingly decentralised electricity systems.

Contributing to the MEDPOWER Steering Committee

Alongside the conference’s scientific programme, Prof. Azzopardi participated as a member of the MEDPOWER Steering Committee, which convened during the event.

The Steering Committee contributes to the strategic continuity and future development of the MEDPOWER conference series, supporting its role as an established platform for scientific cooperation and professional exchange.

An important development during MEDPOWER 2026 was the announcement that MEDPOWER 2028 will take place in Belgrade, Serbia.

The next edition will continue the conference’s tradition of bringing together international power and energy engineering communities, extending opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange and participation by emerging researchers.

FiR.mt’s involvement in the Steering Committee reflects its continued engagement in international research networks and activities that connect scientific knowledge with engineering practice.

Supporting International Research Collaboration

The scientific research presented at MEDPOWER 2026 was supported in part by the European Union through the GIANTS project, Green Intelligent Affordable New Transport Solutions (Grant Agreement No. 101138220).

The conference participation and research dissemination activities were also supported through POWER-UP Global: Strategic International Engagement for Energy Systems, Conference Hosting and Research Collaboration, funded by Xjenza Malta under the Research Networking Scheme 2026 (Grant RNS-2026-0321).

FiR.mt further acknowledges Typhoon HIL for providing the HIL101 real-time simulation equipment and technical assistance that supported the research, together with the GIANTS project partners for their technical contributions and supporting information.

Through its participation in MEDPOWER 2026, FiR.mt continued to advance Maltese scientific contributions internationally, strengthen cooperation among researchers and engineering professionals, and encourage the next generation to become more actively involved in the energy transition.

The conference also reinforced the importance of maintaining strong connections across the Mediterranean region, where shared energy challenges provide opportunities for collaborative research, innovation and practical engineering solutions.

Conference information: MEDPOWER 2026 – Official Website