ENEA

ENEA is a scientific RTD organisation with a commitment to sustainable development and environmental safeguard. Its main fields of competence include engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics, agriculture, oceanography, information science and technology, meteorology, biology. ENEA is mainly called upon to: promote and carry out basic and applied research and technology innovation, also through prototypes and product industrialization; disseminate and transfer technologies, encouraging their use in productive and social sectors; provide high-tech services, studies, tests and evaluations to both public and private bodies and enterprises develop and apply sustainability assessment methods of the innovative technologies. In these fields many programs/projects on advanced materials, electrochemistry, fuel cells and hydrogen technologies, as well as on bio-energy and bio-fuels production and utilisation, have been and are carried out, also in co-operation with national and international industry, academic institutions and research organisations.

Role in project

For this project, ENEA will contribute with the core competences of the Laboratories of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells and of Material Technology , with expertise respectively on in-depth characterization of high-temperature fuel cells (MCFC and SOFC) from electrodes to systems and on innovative processes of synthesis and treatment of new ceramic and metallic materials in stable and  etastable forms. More than 25 years of experience in the electrochemistry of MCFC and SOFC are at the basis of participation in NELLHI, with facilities to study the performance of button cells, single cells and repeating units and short stacks (conductivity measurements, polarization, EIS and cyclic voltammetry), looking also at pre- and post-characterization of the test materials (chemical and morphological analysis). The laboratory for Material Technology has joined in collaboration with the Laboratory for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells to take on the material challenges facing especially high-temperature fuel cells. Years of experience have been matured on corrosion prevention and protection of steel components in MCFC stacks resulting in numerous publications and patent applications. Competence has been developed on Xray Diffraction (in controlled atmosphere and temperature, also with simultaneous 120° XRD apparatus) and Rietveld analysis of samples. In particular in the last decade focus has been on materials for energy applications both in micro- and nano-structured configurations. Through recent acquisition of a microfluidizing apparatus, activities have been focused towards the development of nanofluids and suspensions for coating processes. ENEA is actively involved in National and EU Platforms for implementation of fuel cells and hydrogen, and outside Europe in IPHE and IEA Implementing Agreements, including Bioenergy, Advanced Fuels Cells and Electric/Hybrid Vehicles. ENEA participates in several topical EU-funded projects, among which H2FC-Infrastructures, SCoReD 2.0, MCFC-CONTEX, COMETHY.