A new university-company joint research platform set up to study and develop an energy vector capable of playing a decisive role in the achievement of global climate objectives, i.e. hydrogen.

Announcing the Hydrogen Joint Research Platform (Hydrogen JRP) created by Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, together with Politecnico di Milano and three founding companies, Edison S.p.A., Eni S.p.A. and Snam S.p.A.

Hydrogen JRP will promote innovative studies and research in several areas: the production of clean hydrogen, which includes green hydrogen and low carbon hydrogen; associated transport solutions and advanced storage systems; innovative electrochemical and thermal applications for domestic and industrial use and in transport systems; and the development of best practices in the design and construction of hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure.

Ferruccio Resta, Rector of Politecnico di Milano explained: “Energy transition is one of the major challenges of our times. We must persevere with two key concepts, firstly, to pursue a more forceful political path, aligning ourselves with European guidelines, based upon a phase of providing support to the industrial system, and secondly, to forge ahead in the area of research and training in order to become a global reference point for this technology. To be successful, we chart a common project where universities are operating at the side of companies. This is why we are today announcing our Hydrogen Joint Research Platform, which owes its launch to three great companies in this sector, their participation, capacity to listen and ability to ‘do’ innovation, and why this platform must be able to expand as far as possible within Italy’s productive tissue”.

Andrea Sianesi, President of Fondazione Politecnico di Milano added: “Hydrogen will play a crucial role in Europe’s green revolution, it is a flexible energy vector and potentially with zero environmental impact. The Italian Government has given hydrogen a primary role in the country’s National Plan for Recovery and Resilience, specifically to respond to the needs of progressive decarbonisation in various sectors. We, as Fondazione Politecnico di Milano and in line with our mission of acting as a bridge between academia and the productive system, believe that it makes strategic sense to create a joint research centre to help establish an industrial value chain linked to hydrogen development, a centre that, with the backing of Italy’s leading technical university and several primary energy companies, can drive innovation, while also targeting research of excellence and effective and impactful energy transfer for the development of Italy’s entire economic system”.