ENEA

Background and Status

ENEA is a government research and innovation organisation operating to further sustainable economic development, competitiveness, job creation, and environmental protection. ENEA also operates on behalf of public administrations by providing advanced services in the areas of energy, environment and technological innovation. In particular, ENEA:

• conducts, develops and promotes research and innovation in the interest of sustainable development, partly by creating demonstration facilities and pilot projects, in the framework of the national research programme and in line with national commitments in the areas of energy, environment and technological innovation deriving from Italy's membership in the European Union and other international organisations;
• supports innovation processes within the economy, especially among small and mediumsize enterprises, in part by stimulating demand for research and technology conforming to the principles of sustainable development;
• promotes the transfer of technology and positive experiences in the fields of energy and
  environment to public administrations and small and medium-size enterprises in furtherance
  of national and European Union objectives;
• provides specialised technical and organisational support in its own areas of competence to public agencies acting in the national or international spheres, and to the regional and local governments, upon request and under programme agreements with various Ministries (Industry, Trade, Environment, Universities and Research) and other public administrations.

Expertise

ENEA is organised in three technical departments (energy, environment and health, technological innovation) supported by several central functional directorates. The legal and administrative responsibility for the overall activities of ENEA rests with the President who also chairs the Board of Directors, advised by a Technical and Scientific Committee.

ENEA has 3,500 staff members (about half of which are researchers and engineers) operating in research centres located throughout Italy. ENEA’s fields of competence include engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics, agriculture, oceanography, information science and technology, meteorology and biology. Approximately 600 people work in the areas of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. Expertise in these areas concerns:

• research and development of energy sources alternative to hydrocarbons, particularly via
  photovoltaic conversion of solar energy, the use of wind energy, exploitation of biomass and waste
• research in the transportation sector, aimed at developing advanced mobility and traffic
  management systems, as well as testing for energy-efficient vehicles with low environmental impact
• research and development of fuel cells and energy storage systems.

Services

In the energy field include:

• Education, information and energy audits in the field of rational use of energy in industry, buildings, transportation and households.
• Demonstration of energy efficient systems: urban transport technologies, traffic planning and management methods, urban space heating, intelligent buildings, solar buildings and process improvements in the building materials industry.
• Development and demonstration of efficient technologies using fossil fuels: gas turbines, cogeneration equipment, small boilers, pipeline transport systems and improvements in iron and aluminium production.

Customers

Central and local administration, enterprises, schools, general public.

Skills - Strategic Studies

ENEA works with the Ministries of Industry, Environment, University and Research, Agriculture and Cultural Resources on designing and conducting projects involving the European Union and other international organisations such as the United Nations and the OECD. ENEA collaborates with all of Italy’s regional governments and many provincial and municipal administrations, setting up and implementing the required local programmes.

ENEA also acts as a Technology Agency, providing scientific and technological consulting and support to national and local governmental bodies in the solution of complex, energy and environmental problems, the preparation of regulations, and participation in international initiatives and projects.

Skills - Technical Assessment and Programme Management

ENEA bases its operations on the development and application of innovative, leading-edge technologies. For the most part this work is carried out in the framework of programmes aimed at strategic goals. For instance, ENEA’s fusion programme involves the development of advanced technologies that have a wide range of applications, such as superconductivity and robotics. The technologies developed at ENEA have numerous applications in a wide range of manufacturing and service sectors. Lasers, for instance, are used by ENEA, in partnership with various organisations, in field such as environmental analysis, industrial applications, medical analysis, preservation of cultural resources and nuclear fusion.

ENEA co-operates with major research centres in other countries or operating under international organisations (United Nation, OECD, European Union), as well as non-governmental organisations, on technology and applications of mutual interest. Special attention is given to co-operation with the nations of central and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

ENEA has a basic annual budget coming from the government. Additional financial resources can be generated through programme agreements with government bodies, contracts with public administrations and private organisations, contributions from EU programmes and participation in National Research Programmes.

Skills - Technology Transfer and Dissemination

ENEA’s technological know-how and its long experience in working with both large and small enterprises explain its ability to transfer, adapt and apply new technologies consistently with end-users’ needs. Its activities are addressed not only to high-tech industries, but also to traditional sectors where an infusion of advanced technology in the production process can help companies maintain or rise their competitiveness in the international marketplace.

ENEA is involved in many international programmes concerning technology transfer and dissemination of information: OPET, CADDET, SAVE, ALTENER.

Contact Point

Anna De Carli
C.R. Casaccia - Via Anguillarese 301 - 00060 S. Maria di Galeria (RM)
Tel: +39 6 3048 3432
Fax: +39 6 3048 3930
E-mail: decarli@casaccia.enea.it

Web: www.casaccia.enea.it