Image: Enel Foundation
The Enel Foundation’s recently formed scientific committee has announced new energy research and training projects in Africa and South America.
With the stated aim of enhancing its international outlook and consolidating relations with academia, research bodies and companies, the new scientific committee brings together representatives from leading Italian universities, including Bocconi, Luiss Guido Carli, Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino as well as MIT and Harvard.
The role of the committee, of which Laura Cozzi, Director of Sustainability, Technology, and Outlooks at the IEA, is the president, is to steer the Foundation’s work in research, education and policy advocacy.
“The Foundation promotes collaboration between research and business to support the evolution of the energy sector globally,” said Flavio Cattaneo, CEO of the Enel Group and Chairman of the Enel Foundation.
“This synergy allows us to transform scientific innovation into concrete, sustainable and scalable solutions, enhancing industrial competitiveness alongside contributing to the global energy transition.”
Have you read?
Ireland’s EirGrid signs MoU for workforce upskilling programme
How grid schools aim to close France’s energy transition talent gap
New projects launched by the Foundation include wAtt-Boost, which is intended to support youth powered renewable energy startups in Africa.
The initiative, part of Italy’s Mattei plan to support economic and other development in Africa, is partnered with IRENA, the RES4Africa Foundation and Strathmore University.
In South America the Enel Foundation is partnering with the Italian-Latin American International Organisation (IILA – Organizzazione internazionale italo-latino americana) on an online course on the opportunities and prospects in the energy transition.
Issues addressed include energy market evolution, grid resilience, renewable energy technologies, natural resources and circular economy, metrics and indicators for sustainable investments, security and management of climate change emergencies and the role of development finance institutions.
Looking ahead the Foundation will focus on the issue of the skills required for the transition, also taking up the challenges posed by the development of AI.
Another topic being studied is the resilience of networks and adaptation to climate change, with a particular focus on some of the most exposed geographical areas, such as South America.
Gianni Armani, Head of Enel Grids and Innovation, is the general manager of the Enel Foundation.
