In Sweden, the building sector accounts for about 35% of the total energy consumption. Some of the major contributors to energy consumption are the urban educational buildings, such as schools and universities which have considerable potential for improved energy efficiency. Furthermore, it is Sweden’s goal to mitigate climate change and set a zero net target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest. To meet this goal, it is essential to design building energy management with advanced optimization algorithms and data science to ensure renewable sources integration and strategical management for loads and storage. This thesis designs an Energy Management System (EMS) Optimization model that combines Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) and PV-battery sizing to satisfy energy consumption with the least energy bills and carbon emissions in urban educational buildings. A case study of two educational buildings in Stockholm will be used to simulate and evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed EMS model. Three main studies were made under the current electricity contract and a pre-defined PV capacity for buildings. The first study shows the MILP-based EMS enables optimized decisions of solar production curtailment, smart grid consumption, and smart battery usage while satisfying the building load with the lowest possible energy cost. The MILP-based EMS model achieves more flexible scheduling for batteries and PV integration than traditional rule-based EMS, but the annual saving difference is minimal. With a 25kWp PV system and the proposed EMS, the electric-heated case building saves 21.49% of energy bills annually, while the case building with district heating can save 23.35% of energy bills annually. Secondly, the best optimal Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) sizing is determined with findings that increasing BESS sizing can bring a higher saving but the increase is less than 0.5% due to limited solar energy production and low feed-in income. Under current energy contracts and building conditions, results justify the installation of PV systems but do not support the investment of a BESS. Energy cost saving doesn’t have more potential in electric-heated buildings compared to traditional district-heated buildings. Finally, the third study conducts a sensitivity analysis of the BESS’s Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), providing the threshold LCOE for the system with PV-BESS to be economically beneficial, which is 0.27 SEK/kWh. / Byggsektorn står för cirka 35% av Sveriges totala energiförbrukning. Bland de främsta bidragsgivarna återfinns stadsutbildningsbyggnader, såsom skolor och universitet, som har stor potential för förbättrad energieffektivitet. Dessutom strävar Sverige efter att mildra klimatförändringar och sätta upp klimatneutrala mål för byggnader. För att nå dessa mål krävs smart energihantering. Denna avhandling presenterar en modell för optimering av energihanteringssystem (EMS) som kombinerar blandad heltalslinjär programmering (MILP) och dimensionering av solcellsbatterier. Syftet är att minimera elkostnader och koldioxidutsläpp i urbana utbildningsbyggnader och därigenom förbättra hållbarheten. En fallstudie av två utbildningsbyggnader i Stockholm används för att utvärdera EMS-modellens effektivitet. Tre huvudstudier genomfördes inom ramen för det befintliga elavtalet och med en fördefinierad solcellskapacitet för byggnaderna. I den första studien framkommer att EMS baserad på MILP möjliggör mer flexibel schemaläggning för batterier och integration av solceller jämfört med en regelbaserad EMS. Trots detta är skillnaden i årliga besparingar mycket liten. Med ett 25 kWp solcellssystem och den föreslagna EMS sparar en eluppvärmd byggnad 21,49% av elkostnaderna årligen, medan en byggnad med fjärrvärme kan spara 23.35% av elkostnaderna årligen. I den andra studien bestäms optimal storlek för batterilagringsystemet (BESS). Resultaten visar att en ökad storlek på BESS kan ge högre besparingar, men ökningen är mindre än 0,5% på grund av begränsad produktion av solenergi och låga intäkter från nätmatning. Under nuvarande avtal och byggnadsförhållanden motiverar resultaten installationen av solcellssystem, men stöder inte investeringen i BESS. Slutligen genomför den tredje studien en känslighetsanalys av nivåniserad energikostnad (LCOE) för BESS och ger tröskel-LCOE för att systemet med solceller och BESS ska vara ekonomiskt fördelaktigt, vilket är 0,27 SEK/kWh.

The awareness of the problems with fossil energy sources have increased the past decades. To decrease the effects of the fossil fuels on the climate and the environment, the use of intermittent energy sources such as solar- and wind power are increasing. Intermittent generation creates instability in the power grid, which cause fluctuations in the voltage and the frequency of the power grid. To be able to handle these fluctuations, regulating capacity such as for example pumped storage or batteries are needed. This thesis has investigated how the placement and the power capacity of a battery energy storage system affects the possibility for frequency and voltage regulation in a weak distribution grid. The investigation was made in MATLAB Simulink by creating a weak radial distribution grid with a high penetration of solar power. The distribution grid had variable loads with different power consumption at each bus, creating instability in the distribution grid. The optimal placement of a battery energy storage system is firstly at the largest load and secondly as far away from the other power generation units as possible. A battery storage with a power capacity that can handle all consumption is optimal. It is possible to have a smaller power capacity if the grid is stable enough to withstand the appearing fluctuation of frequency or voltage. The frequency variations are more dependent on the power capacity and the voltage variations are more dependent on the placement of the battery energy storage system. ISSN:

Environmental awareness and uncertainty about continued supply of fossil fuel has given rise to the renewable energy movement. Wind based power generation has been at the forefront of the motion to integrate distributed energy sources in the traditional power system. Due to various technical restrictions, wide scale penetration of wind generated power has been held back by most utilities. One such restriction is the variability of generation due to the technology’s dependence on Mother Nature. Energy storage devices can complement the wind generators by reducing this variability. These devices can store excess generation for supply during low generation periods. There are several promising technologies for both energy storage and power storage applications. Power storage devices provide short term fluctuation dampening capability while energy storage devices allow longer term storage. Pumped hydro, Vanadium Redox battery and Sodium-Sulphur battery are some of the viable energy storage technologies. This project provides a set of algorithms and guidelines to obtain the optimal configuration parameters of an energy storage device. To verify the efficiency of the algorithms, a model system has been obtained from a local utility. This system represents a typical radial distribution system in rural Ontario. The load demand, wind speed and energy prices for a period of one year have been obtained from utilities and Environment Canada. The main goal in determining the location of the storage device within a distribution system is to minimize the total cost of energy and the total energy loss during the period of analysis. Locating the storage device near the wind turbines or near the largest loads lead to the optimum results. Buses that are located near those elements can be considered as suitable locations for the storage device. The energy storage capacity and charge-discharge rate of the storage device are selected based on four criteria: maximize wind turbines’ load following capability, maximize capacity factors of the wind turbines, minimize system energy losses and minimize system energy costs. A weight based multi-objective optimization algorithm has been proposed to assign various priorities to these criteria and obtain a single solution. The larger the energy storage capacity of the storage device, the better the improvement in system performance. Lower charge-discharge ramp rates provide superior results. The parameters for storage device operating schedule, i.e. charge-discharge trigger levels, have been selected using similar criteria and weighted objective approach as for the capacity selection process. Higher charge trigger levels and moderate discharge trigger levels provide the optimum system performance. Once a set of parameters for the storage device has been selected, bus voltages over the period of study are analyzed. Voltage variations outside certain limits have been identified. Finally, a Monte Carlo based simulation approach is presented to obtain output parameter (system performance) variation ranges for pseudo random changes in input parameters.

Environmental awareness and uncertainty about continued supply of fossil fuel has given rise to the renewable energy movement. Wind based power generation has been at the forefront of the motion to integrate distributed energy sources in the traditional power system. Due to various technical restrictions, wide scale penetration of wind generated power has been held back by most utilities. One such restriction is the variability of generation due to the technology’s dependence on Mother Nature. Energy storage devices can complement the wind generators by reducing this variability. These devices can store excess generation for supply during low generation periods. There are several promising technologies for both energy storage and power storage applications. Power storage devices provide short term fluctuation dampening capability while energy storage devices allow longer term storage. Pumped hydro, Vanadium Redox battery and Sodium-Sulphur battery are some of the viable energy storage technologies. This project provides a set of algorithms and guidelines to obtain the optimal configuration parameters of an energy storage device. To verify the efficiency of the algorithms, a model system has been obtained from a local utility. This system represents a typical radial distribution system in rural Ontario. The load demand, wind speed and energy prices for a period of one year have been obtained from utilities and Environment Canada. The main goal in determining the location of the storage device within a distribution system is to minimize the total cost of energy and the total energy loss during the period of analysis. Locating the storage device near the wind turbines or near the largest loads lead to the optimum results. Buses that are located near those elements can be considered as suitable locations for the storage device. The energy storage capacity and charge-discharge rate of the storage device are selected based on four criteria: maximize wind turbines’ load following capability, maximize capacity factors of the wind turbines, minimize system energy losses and minimize system energy costs. A weight based multi-objective optimization algorithm has been proposed to assign various priorities to these criteria and obtain a single solution. The larger the energy storage capacity of the storage device, the better the improvement in system performance. Lower charge-discharge ramp rates provide superior results. The parameters for storage device operating schedule, i.e. charge-discharge trigger levels, have been selected using similar criteria and weighted objective approach as for the capacity selection process. Higher charge trigger levels and moderate discharge trigger levels provide the optimum system performance. Once a set of parameters for the storage device has been selected, bus voltages over the period of study are analyzed. Voltage variations outside certain limits have been identified. Finally, a Monte Carlo based simulation approach is presented to obtain output parameter (system performance) variation ranges for pseudo random changes in input parameters.

The thesis focuses on the power management support of battery systems in charging mode and charging systems for electric vehicles in the LV network. The thesis includes an overview of the distribution network of the Czech Republic, means of voltage regulation and the existing legislative framework for the connection of charging systems. The thesis describes the methods of active and reactive power control depending on the voltage and frequency. The practical part focuses on the simulation of grid support at different penetration levels of BESS and EVC in MATLAB Simulink and the verification of the support function on a laboratory system. In the last part, the methods of implementing the control system for BESS and EVC operating in the LV grid are specified.

In this study, an examination regarding what benefits an aggregatedpopulation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) could result incompared to when the individual units in the population are being usedseparately has been executed. The increased flexibility and reducedsafety margins as results of the aggregation was also examined. Thestudy was executed on behalf of the smart energy service companyCheckWatt AB and the study furthermore rests upon results of earlierperformed master theses on behalf of the company. By investigating previous work and studies through a literature study,the enabling of anumerical study was done. The numerical study wasbased on a simple model of a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) where severalBESSs are smartly controlled in order to be used for both local peakshaving and as common providers of the frequency reserve FrequencyContainment Reserve - Normal (FCR-N). The study involved the formation of a numerical model which simulated cases of both aggregated and non-aggregated populations of up to 45 load profile units, this in order for advantages and differences to be distinguished. The data used inthe simulations was received mainly from the CheckWatt AB andconsisted of photovoltaic (PV) electricity production and load data of 45 customers of the company. A sensibility analysis of the numericalstudy was also performed, which showed that the studied model andsystem were quite stable. The results of the simulations of the case of the study proved thatthere are some advantages connected to aggregation of several BESSs,and that the aggregation enabled an added value and a higher level offlexibility within the system. The safety margins connected todelivery of FCR-N could be reduced when aggregating several BESS,while a more extensive study is requested regarding safety marginsconnected to peak shaving. The study’s results further showed that anaggregator can be used as a sustainable and flexible solution forbalancing the electrical grid in the transition to a sustainableenergy system allowing a higher penetration of intermittentenergy sources.

According to the “Draft development plan for meeting the current and future electricity demandfor 2023-2032” developed by the Polish Transmission System Operator PSE, the most appropriate solution is to significantly expand the possibilities of energy storage, due to its role as a factor improving the power balancing with the increase of wind farms and photovoltaic (PV) sources. Poland has changed the rules governing the energy industry to encourage energy storage. Few barriers have already been eliminated like double charging of transmission fees, but there is still a big novelty to come and that is the reform of the balancing market. With the introduction of this change many more revenue streams should be available that are already present in other EU countries. The objective of this thesis is to provide a high-level overview of the Polish electricity market, identification of existing legal barriers, assessing the role of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) participating in distinct applications, and evaluating a possible business case considering a foreseeable market evolution. The scope of the study is limited to only one storage option Li-Ion standalone project of 10MW/40MWh at HV Point of Connection. In literature review, there does not seem to be a study on storage in the context of Poland. Hence, identifying the research gaps, an analysis of standalone storage system for grid applications in Poland is performed. In this study the NPV, IRR and PP for different scenarios of available revenue streams is determined to compare current and future business models for techno-economic feasibility for BESS in the context of Poland. Results of the study are as following. In the future scenario under the assumed dispatch strategy and participation in CM, FCR, aFRR availability markets as well as aFRR energy market and wholesale arbitrage, the overall project IRR is around 18% with a payback time of around 5 years. Provided the number of new accessible revenue streams BESS can present a strong business case in Poland.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) have become an increasingly popular feature of the electrical grid in the California ISO (CAISO) as a means to address the challenges posed by renewable energy variability and escalating peak demand. Due to their ability to reduce peak load demand on traditional generators and extend the benefits of the merit order effect, they have been theorized and claimed to reduce peak electricity prices. The purpose of this study is to test these claims within CAISO and understand what effects BESSs have had on peak electricity prices. Our findings show that there has been a significant decrease in prices after the introduction of BESSs into the grid although we found no significant effects of an increasing utilization of BESSs on peak electricity prices. We conclude that BESS utilization in CAISO has had no effect on peak electricity prices. We are contributing to the literature on the tangible market impacts of BESSs, highlighting the need for further empirical research in this domain.

Em abelhas eussociais o controle das condições internas do ninho é importante para a sobrevivência da colônia e um dos principais mecanismos para controle da temperatura colonial é a escolha do local de nidificação, como ocos de troncos de árvores, tal qual ocorre nas abelhas sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata, sistema biológico deste estudo. Além de mecanismos comportamentais, em Hymenoptera são também conhecidos mecanismos fisiológicos de termorregulação (termogênese) como a ocorrência de ciclos fúteis (descritos para mamangavas Bombus) e o tremor muscular. A termogênese em abelhas ocorre principalmente durante incubação da cria, atividades sociais e aquecimento pré-vôo. As aminas biogênicas desempenham um amplo espectro de funções em abelhas, e é sugerido que o sistema noradrenérgico/adrenérico de vertebrados é funcional e estruturalmente equivalente ao sistema octopaminérgico/tiraminérgico de insetos. O emprego de bloqueador beta-adrenérgico em abelhas pode levar a hipotermia, emergindo a hipótese de que haveria envolvimento de uma via octopaminérgica na energética e termogênese de abelhas. Os três principais aspectos da termorregulação focados neste trabalho são a termorregulação colonial, a energética individual e mecanismos de termogênese. Com relação à termorregulação colonial, o objetivo principal foi descrevê-la em duas regiões do ninho (discos de cria e potes de alimento), por meio de registro de séries temporais de temperatura e umidade relativa, e estudo da atividade externa de vôo. Foi detectada ritmicidade nas séries temporais de colônias abertas, com influência das periodicidades da temperatura ambiente, umidade relativa e luminosidade, sobre as séries temporais registradas dentro da colônia. As séries temporais de atividade de vôo apresentavam periodicidades similares às ambientais, mas também eram relacionadas às da cria. Em colônias fechadas, as séries temporais dos discos de cria apresentavam periodicidades próximas a 24h e 12h, sugerindo aspecto endógeno da regulação de temperatura e umidade próximo à cria. Também, objetivou-se caracterizar o efeito do tipo de iluminação e de diferentes temperaturas. Foram estudados, por meio de respirometria intermitente, os efeitos do ciclo claro/escuro a 28°C (fotoperíodo normal, fotoperíodo invertido, claro e escuro constante) sobre a taxa metabólica (TM), e os efeitos de diferentes temperaturas ambientais (10 a 40°C) sobre a TM e quociente respiratório (QR). Os diferentes ciclos de claro/escuro afetaram a TM, sendo observados, em fotoperíodo normal e claro constante valores de TM baixos entre 19h e 5h. Em fotoperíodo invertido, valores diminuídos foram registrados entre 6h e 18h, sugerindo um ritmo exógeno em resposta a mudanças fotoperiódicas. Entre 7h e 17h59, no claro, ressalta-se que não há diferenças estatisticamente significativas na TM. A temperatura tem um efeito significativo, com valores diminuídos a 35 e 40°C e mais ainda a 10°C. Entre 15 e 30°C não há diferenças significativas. Na terceira parte do trabalho objetivou-se verificar o efeito tempo-dependente de bloqueadores beta-adrenérgicos e octopaminérgicos (Alprenolol e Mianserina) sobre a TM e temperatura torácica de forrageadoras e verificar se a octopamina e methoprene (análogo de hormônio juvenil) compensam os efeitos dos bloqueadores. Também foi analisado se há alterações dos substratos energéticos catabolizados, considerando o QR e a atividade enzimática (Vmax de hexoquinase, trealase, HOAD e glicogênio fosforilase). Com o emprego dos bloqueadores, foram detectadas alterações no QR e na atividade das quatro enzimas. A diminuição da temperatura torácica obtida em forrageadoras tratadas com Alprenolol sugere o envolvimento de vias octopaminérgicas na termogênese em M. quadrifasciata; todavia, não se sabe se tais efeitos são decorrentes de interferências na produção de calor e/ou um subproduto da diminuição da TM. No nível colonial, ninhos tratados com os mesmos bloqueadores parecem apresentar periodicidades de séries temporais mais similares à da umidade relativa do ambiente e menos à da temperatura ambiente, sugerindo menor resposta às variações de temperatura. Os resultados não provam que há mecanismos de termogênese sem tremor muscular em abelhas, envolvendo octopamina e hormônio juvenil, mas indicam um possível envolvimento destas substâncias na taxa metabólica e oxidação de diferentes substratos energéticos. Sob uma visão comparativa, pode-se apontar semelhanças entre efeitos de modificações em vias octopaminérgicas/tiraminérgicas de insetos e noradrenérgicas/tiraminérgicas de vertebrados, quando à energética e termogênese. Os resultados não provam tal afirmação, mas apontam evidências do papel da via octopaminérgica na taxa metabólica e temperatura torácica de forrageadoras. / In eusocial insects, such as stingless bees, the control of nest conditions and maintenance of the colonial microclimate are important to brood incubation, development of eggs, larvae and pupae, and survival of the colony. One of the main thermoregulatory mechanisms to control nest temperature is the microhabitat selection to build the nest, such as tree holes, characteristic of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata, the biological system chosen for this study. In addition to the behavioral mechanisms involved in thermoregulation, physiological mechanisms underlying thermogenesis are also found in Hymenoptera, such as futile cycles (in bumblebees) and shivering thermogenesis. Thermogenesis in bees is detected mainly during brood incubation, social interactions and pre-flight warming; additional possible physiological mechanisms have not yet been investigated with enough detail. Biogenic amines, especially octopamine, play important physiological roles in bees. Although octopamine and norepinephrine are chemically not identical, it appears that octopaminergic systems of invertebrates and noradrenergic systems of vertebrates are homologous. Oral treatment with beta-blockers can cause hypothermia, leading to the hypothesis that an octopaminergic pathway involved in bee energetics and thermogenesis might exist. The main aspects investigated in the present study are the colonial thermoregulation, the energetics of individual bees, and the mechanisms associated with thermogenesis in M. quadrifasciata. With regards to the colonial thermoregulation, temperature and humidity, time series were recorded inside and outside the nest, in two colonial compartments, i.e., brood and pots. In addition, flight activity was also recorded. Flight activity time series presented similar periodicities in both ambient and brood series. In closed colonies, maintained under constant conditions, the brood time series presented periodicities close to 24h and 12h, suggesting endogenous aspects and rhythm. Another goal of this study was to characterizing the effects of the light-dark cycles and ambient temperatures. This was achieved using intermittent respirometry, and the effects of the light-dark cycles at 28°C (normal photoperiod, inverted photoperiod, constant light and constant dark) on metabolic rate (MR), and the effects of different temperatures (10 40°C) on MR and respiratory quotient (RQ) were measured. The different light-dark cycles affected the MR under normal photoperiod and constant light. Two \"platforms,\" with low MR values were detected between 19h and 5h. When the photoperiod was inverted, lower values were recorded in the dark phase, between 6h and 18h, resulting in an inverted pattern of MR, thus suggesting an exogenous response to photoperiodic changes. Between 7h and 17h59, in the light phase, metabolic rate did not change significantly. The temperature has a significant effect on MR and RQ of the foragers, and reduced values at 10, 35 and 40°C were detected. Between 15 and 30°C no significant differences were detected. In the third part of this work the aim was to verify the time-dependent effects of beta-blockers (Alprenolol and Mianserina) on MR and thoracic temperature of foragers, and to verify whether octopamine and methoprene (analogous to juvenile hormone) compensate the effects of beta-blockers. Alterations of substrates oxidation, considering the RQ and the activity (Vmax) of specific enzymes, such as hexokinase, trehalase, HOAD and glycogen phosphorylase, were also investigated. Treatments with blockers caused alterations in the RQ and in the enzyme activities of hexokinase, HOAD and glycogen phosphorylase. The reduced values of thoracic temperature in foragers treated with Alprenolol suggests the involvement of octopaminergic pathways in thermogenesis; however, it is not yet known if such effects are due to interferences in the heat production and/or represent a by-product of a reduced metabolic rate. At the colonial level, nests treated with blockers presented colonial time series periodicities more similar to the ambient humidity series than to the ambient temperature series, suggesting therefore that the responses to ambient temperature are reduced. These results do not prove that mechanisms of nonshivering thermogenesis are present in bees, involving both octopamin and juvenile hormone, but they can indicate possible involvements of these substances in metabolic rate, energetics and fuel utilization. Under a comparative approach, one can suggest similarities between the effects caused by modifications in the noradrenergic and octopaminergic pathways on the energetics and thermogenesis of M. quadrifasciata. The results, however, do not prove such hypothesis, but they suggest an octopaminergic influence on both metabolic rate and thoracic temperature of M. quadrifasciata foragers.

Em abelhas eussociais o controle das condições internas do ninho é importante para a sobrevivência da colônia e um dos principais mecanismos para controle da temperatura colonial é a escolha do local de nidificação, como ocos de troncos de árvores, tal qual ocorre nas abelhas sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata, sistema biológico deste estudo. Além de mecanismos comportamentais, em Hymenoptera são também conhecidos mecanismos fisiológicos de termorregulação (termogênese) como a ocorrência de ciclos fúteis (descritos para mamangavas Bombus) e o tremor muscular. A termogênese em abelhas ocorre principalmente durante incubação da cria, atividades sociais e aquecimento pré-vôo. As aminas biogênicas desempenham um amplo espectro de funções em abelhas, e é sugerido que o sistema noradrenérgico/adrenérico de vertebrados é funcional e estruturalmente equivalente ao sistema octopaminérgico/tiraminérgico de insetos. O emprego de bloqueador beta-adrenérgico em abelhas pode levar a hipotermia, emergindo a hipótese de que haveria envolvimento de uma via octopaminérgica na energética e termogênese de abelhas. Os três principais aspectos da termorregulação focados neste trabalho são a termorregulação colonial, a energética individual e mecanismos de termogênese. Com relação à termorregulação colonial, o objetivo principal foi descrevê-la em duas regiões do ninho (discos de cria e potes de alimento), por meio de registro de séries temporais de temperatura e umidade relativa, e estudo da atividade externa de vôo. Foi detectada ritmicidade nas séries temporais de colônias abertas, com influência das periodicidades da temperatura ambiente, umidade relativa e luminosidade, sobre as séries temporais registradas dentro da colônia. As séries temporais de atividade de vôo apresentavam periodicidades similares às ambientais, mas também eram relacionadas às da cria. Em colônias fechadas, as séries temporais dos discos de cria apresentavam periodicidades próximas a 24h e 12h, sugerindo aspecto endógeno da regulação de temperatura e umidade próximo à cria. Também, objetivou-se caracterizar o efeito do tipo de iluminação e de diferentes temperaturas. Foram estudados, por meio de respirometria intermitente, os efeitos do ciclo claro/escuro a 28°C (fotoperíodo normal, fotoperíodo invertido, claro e escuro constante) sobre a taxa metabólica (TM), e os efeitos de diferentes temperaturas ambientais (10 a 40°C) sobre a TM e quociente respiratório (QR). Os diferentes ciclos de claro/escuro afetaram a TM, sendo observados, em fotoperíodo normal e claro constante valores de TM baixos entre 19h e 5h. Em fotoperíodo invertido, valores diminuídos foram registrados entre 6h e 18h, sugerindo um ritmo exógeno em resposta a mudanças fotoperiódicas. Entre 7h e 17h59, no claro, ressalta-se que não há diferenças estatisticamente significativas na TM. A temperatura tem um efeito significativo, com valores diminuídos a 35 e 40°C e mais ainda a 10°C. Entre 15 e 30°C não há diferenças significativas. Na terceira parte do trabalho objetivou-se verificar o efeito tempo-dependente de bloqueadores beta-adrenérgicos e octopaminérgicos (Alprenolol e Mianserina) sobre a TM e temperatura torácica de forrageadoras e verificar se a octopamina e methoprene (análogo de hormônio juvenil) compensam os efeitos dos bloqueadores. Também foi analisado se há alterações dos substratos energéticos catabolizados, considerando o QR e a atividade enzimática (Vmax de hexoquinase, trealase, HOAD e glicogênio fosforilase). Com o emprego dos bloqueadores, foram detectadas alterações no QR e na atividade das quatro enzimas. A diminuição da temperatura torácica obtida em forrageadoras tratadas com Alprenolol sugere o envolvimento de vias octopaminérgicas na termogênese em M. quadrifasciata; todavia, não se sabe se tais efeitos são decorrentes de interferências na produção de calor e/ou um subproduto da diminuição da TM. No nível colonial, ninhos tratados com os mesmos bloqueadores parecem apresentar periodicidades de séries temporais mais similares à da umidade relativa do ambiente e menos à da temperatura ambiente, sugerindo menor resposta às variações de temperatura. Os resultados não provam que há mecanismos de termogênese sem tremor muscular em abelhas, envolvendo octopamina e hormônio juvenil, mas indicam um possível envolvimento destas substâncias na taxa metabólica e oxidação de diferentes substratos energéticos. Sob uma visão comparativa, pode-se apontar semelhanças entre efeitos de modificações em vias octopaminérgicas/tiraminérgicas de insetos e noradrenérgicas/tiraminérgicas de vertebrados, quando à energética e termogênese. Os resultados não provam tal afirmação, mas apontam evidências do papel da via octopaminérgica na taxa metabólica e temperatura torácica de forrageadoras. / In eusocial insects, such as stingless bees, the control of nest conditions and maintenance of the colonial microclimate are important to brood incubation, development of eggs, larvae and pupae, and survival of the colony. One of the main thermoregulatory mechanisms to control nest temperature is the microhabitat selection to build the nest, such as tree holes, characteristic of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata, the biological system chosen for this study. In addition to the behavioral mechanisms involved in thermoregulation, physiological mechanisms underlying thermogenesis are also found in Hymenoptera, such as futile cycles (in bumblebees) and shivering thermogenesis. Thermogenesis in bees is detected mainly during brood incubation, social interactions and pre-flight warming; additional possible physiological mechanisms have not yet been investigated with enough detail. Biogenic amines, especially octopamine, play important physiological roles in bees. Although octopamine and norepinephrine are chemically not identical, it appears that octopaminergic systems of invertebrates and noradrenergic systems of vertebrates are homologous. Oral treatment with beta-blockers can cause hypothermia, leading to the hypothesis that an octopaminergic pathway involved in bee energetics and thermogenesis might exist. The main aspects investigated in the present study are the colonial thermoregulation, the energetics of individual bees, and the mechanisms associated with thermogenesis in M. quadrifasciata. With regards to the colonial thermoregulation, temperature and humidity, time series were recorded inside and outside the nest, in two colonial compartments, i.e., brood and pots. In addition, flight activity was also recorded. Flight activity time series presented similar periodicities in both ambient and brood series. In closed colonies, maintained under constant conditions, the brood time series presented periodicities close to 24h and 12h, suggesting endogenous aspects and rhythm. Another goal of this study was to characterizing the effects of the light-dark cycles and ambient temperatures. This was achieved using intermittent respirometry, and the effects of the light-dark cycles at 28°C (normal photoperiod, inverted photoperiod, constant light and constant dark) on metabolic rate (MR), and the effects of different temperatures (10 40°C) on MR and respiratory quotient (RQ) were measured. The different light-dark cycles affected the MR under normal photoperiod and constant light. Two \"platforms,\" with low MR values were detected between 19h and 5h. When the photoperiod was inverted, lower values were recorded in the dark phase, between 6h and 18h, resulting in an inverted pattern of MR, thus suggesting an exogenous response to photoperiodic changes. Between 7h and 17h59, in the light phase, metabolic rate did not change significantly. The temperature has a significant effect on MR and RQ of the foragers, and reduced values at 10, 35 and 40°C were detected. Between 15 and 30°C no significant differences were detected. In the third part of this work the aim was to verify the time-dependent effects of beta-blockers (Alprenolol and Mianserina) on MR and thoracic temperature of foragers, and to verify whether octopamine and methoprene (analogous to juvenile hormone) compensate the effects of beta-blockers. Alterations of substrates oxidation, considering the RQ and the activity (Vmax) of specific enzymes, such as hexokinase, trehalase, HOAD and glycogen phosphorylase, were also investigated. Treatments with blockers caused alterations in the RQ and in the enzyme activities of hexokinase, HOAD and glycogen phosphorylase. The reduced values of thoracic temperature in foragers treated with Alprenolol suggests the involvement of octopaminergic pathways in thermogenesis; however, it is not yet known if such effects are due to interferences in the heat production and/or represent a by-product of a reduced metabolic rate. At the colonial level, nests treated with blockers presented colonial time series periodicities more similar to the ambient humidity series than to the ambient temperature series, suggesting therefore that the responses to ambient temperature are reduced. These results do not prove that mechanisms of nonshivering thermogenesis are present in bees, involving both octopamin and juvenile hormone, but they can indicate possible involvements of these substances in metabolic rate, energetics and fuel utilization. Under a comparative approach, one can suggest similarities between the effects caused by modifications in the noradrenergic and octopaminergic pathways on the energetics and thermogenesis of M. quadrifasciata. The results, however, do not prove such hypothesis, but they suggest an octopaminergic influence on both metabolic rate and thoracic temperature of M. quadrifasciata foragers.