Hugo Morais, a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DEEC) and a researcher at the Systems and Computer Engineering – Research and Development (INESC-ID), developed an interest in the energy sector from an early age — "as far back as I can remember, I have always been connected, in some way, to electricity," he says. Throughout his academic career, he pursued a more vocational path, including studying at an industrial school, which gave him direct contact with real-world problems and solutions. He later went on to study Electrical and Computer Engineering, completing his PhD in 2012.

The researcher is currently involved in several projects, including EV4EU and SHIFT2DC, which he discussed in an interview with DEEC.

EV4EU emerged from the exchange of experiences among several researchers working in the field of electric mobility, a growing sector that still faces several barriers, including those related to vehicle systems, grid planning and integration into electricity markets.

The project's mission is precisely to try to find solutions that enable the faster development of electric mobility (...). It focuses on everything outside the vehicle that creates barriers to its development.

Hugo Morais, DEEC faculty member and INESC-ID researcher

This project seeks to understand and respond to the needs of users, both in residential and business settings, focusing on communication between the vehicle and centralised energy management systems, including the use of bidirectional chargers. In this way, in addition to charging vehicles, it becomes possible to supply the energy stored in their batteries to buildings through two technologies: vehicle-to-load, which operates independently of the grid, and vehicle-to-grid, which integrates with the wider electricity grid.

As part of EV4EU, the researchers are testing two prototypes, one of which was developed within the project. These systems use algorithms for new grid management methods, including communication between chargers, which can manage themselves, and local flexibility services (where users adjust their consumption, as well as the injection of energy into the grid) — something that, although not yet available in Portugal, is already a reality in countries such as Slovenia.

The local market is applied to specific points in the city's grid (...) and serves to mitigate problems at all voltage levels.

Hugo Morais, DEEC faculty member and INESC-ID researcher

In Portugal, the project was tested in the Azores using three applications, which were used by researchers, businesses and households. In both residential and business settings, the application is designed to monitor and manage charging intelligently, preventing grid failures resulting from several vehicles being connected simultaneously. In addition to limiting the power delivered by chargers, the system makes use of photovoltaic energy and time-of-use tariffs and monitors grid voltage, maintaining the quality of service. In the case of condominiums, the application also handles electricity billing according to each resident's consumption.

However, although the system offers several advantages, the lack of energy literacy among residential users became an obstacle to optimising resources, even after training sessions were provided on how to use them. "The way of communicating [with residential users and businesses] is quite different," Hugo Morais points out, referring to the contrast between the responses received. In the latter case, users tend to be more aware of the long-term benefits of the service, interacting more actively with the application developed. "At the end of the day, it is a new technology, and the way of managing it is different from a 'normal' car, so there is an adaptation period," he adds, highlighting the role of awareness campaigns in helping the message reach different users over time.

On the other hand, the application also allows energy to be sold to the grid, something that was only not implemented due to limitations in the existing infrastructure.

Although EV4EU ended in May 2026, the researchers are working on other initiatives in the same field, namely the AHEAD project — which combines grid planning and behaviour classification using artificial intelligence, wireless charging and testing with heavy-duty vehicles — and Solar Moove — which aims to test the integration of solar panels into vehicles, particularly trucks and buses, due to their larger available solar exposure area.

The use of solar panels on vehicles can provide gains of 10 to 15% in range.

Hugo Morais, DEEC faculty member and INESC-ID researcher

Solar Moove will also study the application of solar panels in motorhomes, where energy management is relevant both while the vehicle is moving and when it is stationary. The researchers will also focus on developing new photovoltaic technologies, including the integration of solar cells and panel configurations, making them adaptable to the different types of surfaces found on vehicles.

Also in the field of energy, Hugo Morais is involved in SHIFT, which aims to explore the benefits of using direct current (DC) compared with alternating current (AC). The project will have four demonstrators: in a data centre, in an automated industrial setting, in a building and in a port, where ships connect to the grid while docked. In this context, the researchers are working on software applications for the design of DC installations, including the sizing of structures and protection systems, the definition of grid management systems and the development of hardware, such as cables, converters, chargers and energy storage systems.

In SHIFT, everything revolves around solutions for DC grids, particularly low-voltage grids.

Hugo Morais, DEEC faculty member and INESC-ID researcher

But what are the benefits of using DC power? Both photovoltaic energy generation systems and storage systems, including batteries, operate on DC. For this reason, although the systems used by different types of equipment need to be redesigned, since they are connected to a grid that uses alternating current, there are long-term advantages.

If he had to describe his research in one word, the researcher says it would be "diversity", due to the fact that he has worked on several initiatives in the field of energy throughout his career. From electric mobility to the integration of DC power, Hugo Morais's research demonstrates a commitment to a sustainable future, seeking to optimise systems and create solutions for emerging realities, while taking into account increasing energy consumption and different usage profiles.