CNR-ITAE

Organisation name

Institute of Advanced Technologies for Energy “Nicola Giordano” (ITAE) – Italian National Council of Research (CNR)

Department(s)/Unit(s)

 Energy and Transportation Department (DET)

Location

Via Santa Lucia sopra Contesse, 5 – Messina (Italy)

Total number of employees

The institute staff, besides the Director, includes 68 unities: 26 permanent researchers, 9 temporary researchers, 15 permanent technicians and administrative, 15 collaborators (contract fellow, research fellow, scholarship and PhD ) and 5 academic teachers

Mission

The strategic mission of CNR ITAE is mainly aimed at promoting and developing innovative energy processes and technologies with a higher efficiency and a lower environmental impact which can be used both with hydrogen and with renewable energy sources

Objectives

The research activity is focused on synthesis processes and properties of materials, development and field test of  system prototype for mobile and stationary applications (fuel cells, electrolyzers, thermally driven heat pumps etc.)

Laboratories/Facilities

Laboratories:

• X-Ray spectroscopy
• Scanning electron microscopy
• Electrocatalyst preparation
• Catalysts for hydrogen production, Prototypes for hydrogen production
• Electrochemical storage and advanced materials, SOFC – PEM
• Materials for selective transport and hydrogen storage
• Thermal energy heat pumps
• Clean fuels production, By-products syngas production, Bio-fuels pre-treatment and catalysts synthesis
• Physical-chemical characterization of materials
• Energy systems engineering

Technology expertise

Characterization of catalysts, electrodes, membranes, bed adsorbers; Design, realization and testing of complete systems and demonstration facilities for stationary and mobile energy applications; Development of methodologies for energy systems analysis (buildings, small/large areas)

Main research topics

The research activities may be sub-divided in the following topics:

·         FUEL CELLS

·         HYDROGEN AND BIO-FUELS

·         STORAGE AND INTELLIGENT USE OF ENERGY

·         INTEGRATION BETWEEN NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND RENEWABLE ENERGIES

·         DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS

·         thermally driven heaT pumps