ITAE develops and promotes innovative energy technologies able to conjugate the deep knowledge on electrochemical, catalytic and adsorption processes with the ability to design materials, components and energy systems. The energy technologies based on renewable sources play a central role in the novel energy system scenario, in which the distributed generation will be supported by actions towards the improvement of energy efficiency, also exploiting synergies with the information and telecommunication technologies (ITC).
The novel ITAE research topics are part of this new framework, which includes current needs for a sustainable development. Accordingly, the “Energetic Sustainability” represents the common target of all the different research areas of the institute:
Development of renewable heating and cooling technologies
Fuel cells (materials, components, prototypes). Electrochemical storage. New generation photovoltaic. Modelling of processes and technologies.
Electrochemical conversion of renewables into hydrogen and alternative fuels, electrolysis, co-electrolysis, photo-electrolysis. Hydrogen storage systems. CO2 conversion into alternative fuels through heterogeneous catalysis. Polymeric and catalytic systems for gases purification processes. By-products and bio-products transformation into eco-friendly energy vectors. Synthetic fuels. Management and valorisation of biomasses. Power to gas technologies (methanation).
Renewables sources exploitation and integration. Fuel cell-based systems. Electrochemical storage systems. Systems for hydrogen production and storage. Energy Management Systems. Hybrid systems. Smart Buildings. Vehicle to Grid (V2G). Smart and Micro Grids. Smart Cities and Mobility. Smart Districts. District Heating and Cooling.
Economic, environmental and social sustainability of energy technologies.
Besides the research and development activities, ITAE carries out technological transfer activities towards industry, training and dissemination activities, supporting National and European bodies for the definition of new standards in the energy sector.