ENEA Research Centre of Trisaia

The ENEA Research Centre of Trisaia was founded in 1963 as a centre for the retreatment of combustible radiated nuclear elements. At the moment it is a scientific, multidisciplinary centre engaged in research activities of sustainable development over a large variety of topics: bio energies, biotechnology, green chemicals, new materials for energy efficiency, agro-ecology. Within the context of Europe 2020 and smart specialisation, the Trisaia Centre is a partner serving industrial strategies especially in green chemical technological clusters, agro-food industry and energy.

There are various topics and activities studied in the ENEA Trisaia Centre:

Renewable sources: Industrial research activities and experimental development of renewable sources focuses on the energy use of bio-mass and the qualification and certification of solar components at low and medium temperatures. In addition the ENEA Trisaia Centre supports the industrial system and public administration in their use. The laboratory performs activities related to:

• Development and demonstration of processes for the conversion of bio-mass into liquid fuels, bio-products and energy through pre-treatment, fractioning and bio-conversion.
• Development and demonstration of thermo-chemical conversion of bio-mass (pyrolysis, combustion, gasification) to obtain thermal and electric energy, syngas and synthetic bio-fuels.
• Industrial research for the transformation of bio-diesel of vegetable oils deriving also from non-conventional sources.
• Experimental development of processes through the production of pilot plants for demonstration purposes and layouts with a high degree of innovation.
• Establishment and updating of databases relative to the availability of bio-mass.
• Research for the development of solar technologies at low and medium temperatures. Analyses of the performance over the short and long periods of solar power systems and their integration in residential heating and cooling systems. Qualification and certification of solar energy systems and components.
• Technological innovation and systems in the field of heat-based, micro electrical energy production systems (local agro-energy systems) and, in the future, of second-generation bio-fuels, bio-mass and bio-combustibles;
• Research activities on the applications of thermal solar power systems at low and medium temperatures, particularly in the development of prototype or concentration projects.

A wide range of RST&D activities are performed and supported by various laboratories also in the sectors of sustainable agriculture, molecular bio-technologies, environmental technologies. There are numerous laboratories and plants at the ENEA Trisaia Centre that extend from agro-biotechnologies to waste treatment, from metrology to renewable sources.