A long-term collaboration aimed at setting up four excellent research centers in the South for sustainable environmental and economic development in Italy and in the world
The President of the National Research Council (CNR), Massimo Inguscio, and Eni's CEO, Claudio Descalzi, following the meeting last May, today signed a Joint Research Agreement (JRA) for the establishment of four joint research centers located in the South, in the presence of the President of the Council of Ministers Giuseppe Conte, the Minister for the South Barbara Lezzi and the President of the Puglia Region Michele Emiliano. The researchers of the laboratories, established in already existing operational or research centers, will work together in four fundamental areas, namely for the decarbonisation of the energy sector and sustainable growth, the promotion of the circular economy and the bioeconomy and for the development of innovative and sustainable water systems and farming techniques, or in short:
- Study of climate change in the Arctic in Lecce;
- Clean energy from fusion to magnetic confinement in Gela;
- Sustainable and innovative management of the water cycle in Basilicata;
- Development of low-emission CO2 agriculture in Portici.
All centers will be equipped with dedicated laboratories in which to develop research projects, defined and agreed by CNR and Eni in terms of objectives, activities and resources.
The joint research activities of the Eni-CNR laboratory in Lecce, at the CNR Nanotec Institute, will be dedicated to analyzing and quantifying the climatic processes related to the destabilization of the Arctic cryosphere, in particular permafrost, and the evaluation of the effects of its thawing on the 'Arctic Ocean. These extremely relevant processes are able to accelerate the current global warming and to worsen the quality of the environment. The joint Eni-CNR effort will lead to the establishment of the first Italian laboratory for the integrated study of the Arctic terrestrial cryosphere, which will use in-field measurements, satellite observations and numerical modeling.
The Eni – CNR center of Gela “Ettore Maiorana” on fusion will focus on cutting-edge research on the characteristics of plasmas, superconducting magnets, and the characteristics of power plants that can exploit the properties of materials and the advantages of the fusion process. The center will also develop skills in the field of transport and storage of electric power, interfacing with CNR centers that already operate in these fields in Sicily. The collaboration between Eni and CNR involves the development of technological skills and know-how, innovative techniques and validation methods for fusion, through the integration of competencies of CNR's excellent research centers with Eni.
The Eni-CNR "Acqua" Center of Metaponto aims to increase scientific knowledge by promoting innovative solutions and technologies capable of increasing the productivity and efficiency of water use in the agricultural sector and mitigating the growing impacts of drought in the Mediterranean and other strategic areas such as the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, the Middle East.
In the agricultural research center of the CNR of Portici, with a view to circularity, projects will be developed dedicated to the study of decarbonisation in agriculture and biomass waste, to be used as a raw material for the production of biofuels in Eni biorefineries. At the same time studies and projects for the intensification and development of sustainable agriculture, through the multifunctional use of the territory and the diversification of crops to support the bioeconomy, in line with the main objectives of sustainable development of the United Nations and with the European research programs on bioeconomy and agri-food.
Eni Descalzi's CEO commented: "Collaboration with CNR is part of Eni's strategy of strong cooperation with the excellent Italian research system. We are proud to have 9 assets under strategic agreements with the main universities and research institutes of the country, for an investment of more than 67 million, highlighting our commitment in the field of Research and Development ".
The President of the CNR Inguscio says: "The agreement between Eni and CNR represents a unique example of an alliance between a large company and the most important research body in Italy for the number of researchers and patents, ERC awards won that will allow for synergy on mutual knowledge and in joint workshops on the territory. This alliance will produce research and technological innovations on an industrial scale in the South with scientific benefits also in other areas of Italy and the world. Researchers from CNR and Eni will work together to develop four key areas for the decarbonisation of the energy sector, the promotion of the circular economy and the bioeconomy, in support of more efficient water systems and innovative agricultural techniques in line with the main sustainable development goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and at the same time to promote solutions and mitigate the growing impacts of drought in the Mediterranean and in strategic geographical areas of the Horn of Africa, Sahel, Middle East ”.