07.10.2020 12:00
Special agreement between Snam and Politecnico di Milano
The two companies have signed a collaboration agreement on hydrogen, energy transition, innovation and training
Snam and Politecnico di Milano, also through Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, have signed a collaboration agreement to launch joint research activities on the role of gas in energy transition, with a specific focus on the potential of hydrogen and other green gases in the fight against climate change.
The framework agreement, signed by Snam CEO Marco Alverà, by the Rector of the Politecnico di Milano Ferruccio Resta and by the President of Fondazione Politecnico Andrea Sianesi, will focus primarily on hydrogen, through an analysis and reengineering of production, storage and distribution technologies, in addition to further studies on the impact of mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas on existing transport infrastructure.
Joint studies on sustainable mobility, biomethane, liquefaction and small scale LNG (liquefied natural gas) are also planned, as well as projects for the capture, transport, storage and reuse of carbon dioxide.
The agreement also includes research on digital transformation applied to the gas transmission network (radar and optical satellite data, artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive algorithms), as well as to sustainable finance, personnel training and talent attraction.
The agreement allows for the possibility of participating jointly in international competitions in the various collaboration areas covered by the arrangement. Moreover, Politecnico and Fondazione Politecnico may notify Snam of any start-ups and innovative technologies of interest.
Individual initiatives will be regulated by specific contracts detailing the contribution of each and the manner in which the activities are to be carried out.
As part of the collaboration, Snam and Fondazione Snam will also contribute to the POP - Pari Opportunità Politecniche (Politecnico Equal Opportunities) programme with the initiative “Girls@Polimi”, which involves the allocation of three 3-year scholarships designed to encourage girls to take up STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). These scholarships will be addressed to female students who enrol in engineering courses.
The choice to invest in research and development at this difficult time sends out a positive signal, not only for the university system, but for the country’s economic recovery as a whole. Credible responses to social needs and to the demand for sustainable growth derive from long-standing expertise and from effective public-private collaborations. The relationship between Politecnico di Milano and Snam on issues such as energy transition and the fight against climate change is creating a virtuous circle that enables technology to work in the medium term by investing in joint studies and on training human capital, which is the most important resource for any lasting innovation
commented Ferruccio Resta, Rector of the Politecnico di Milano.
Andrea Sianesi, President of Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, added:
Now more than ever, we need to foster and make even more fruitful the collaboration between universities and businesses. Fondazione Politecnico di Milano has always been committed to facilitating the dialogue between academia and industry in order to promote innovation. This agreement, in particular, concerns a strategic sector in the fight against climate change. It has been signed at a very particular moment in history, and represents a clear sign of how universities and businesses can pool their skills, training and research for the good of the country, developing an even greater synergy between the stakeholders involved, with the ultimate aim of having a positive impact on the country’s entire economic and social fabric