Snam and Fondazione Snam will contribute to the Politecnico’s program for equal opportunities by donating three scholarships for STEM students
Milan — Snam and the Politecnico di Milano University, also through its own Foundation, have signed a collaboration agreement to launch joint research activities on the role of the gas system in the 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 University Ferruccio Resta and by the President of the Fondazione Politecnico Andrea Sianesi, will focus primarily on hydrogen, through the analysis and re-engineering of technologies of production, storage and use, as well as insights into the impact of hydrogen and natural gas blends on existing transport infrastructure.
Joint studies are also planned on sustainable mobility, biomethane, liquefaction, and small-scale LNG (liquefied natural gas), as well as on projects for the capture, transport, storage, and reuse of carbon dioxide.
The agreement also includes research initiatives on digital transformation applied to the gas transportation network (satellite, radar, and optical data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive algorithms), on sustainable finance, on staff training and on the attraction of talent.
Finally, the parties will be able to jointly participate in international tenders in the various areas of collaboration and Politecnico and Fondazione Politecnico will be able to identify startups and innovative technologies of interest to Snam.
Within the areas identified above, the parties will initiate individual initiatives by stipulating ad hoc contracts that will identify the contributions of each of the subjects involved, defining the methods of carrying out the activities.
As part of the collaboration, Snam and the Snam Foundation will also contribute to the Politecnico’s program for equal opportunities (Pari Opportunità Politecniche – POP) with the “Girls @ Polimi” initiative, which will fund three three-year scholarships aimed at encouraging the study of STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) by girls and intended for students who plan to enroll in engineering courses.
Snam CEO, Marco Alverà, said: “This agreement lays the foundations for a close collaboration between Snam and Politecnico on the new frontiers of energy, starting with hydrogen and biomethane, and on training, in particular by bringing young female students into STEM disciplines. The synergies between companies and universities will be decisive in the restart phase, especially in a sector like ours which in the coming years will be characterized by innovation. For this reason, we launched the SnamTec project two years ago, with an aim to build the energy company of the future that is increasingly sustainable, digital and connected to local communities”.
Ferruccio Resta, Rector of Politecnico di Milano, commented: “Investing in research and development at the moment is a positive sign not only for the university system, but for the economic recovery as a whole. Effective collaboration between public and private sectors drives credible solutions to social needs and the demand for sustainable growth. The relationship between Politecnico di Milano and Snam on issues such as the energy transition and the fight against climate change is a virtuous example that puts technology at the forefront to create lasting innovation”.
Andrea Sianesi, President of the Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, said: “In this particular moment it is necessary to nurture and leverage the exchange between universities and companies even more than in the past. Fondazione Politecnico di Milano has always been committed to facilitating dialogue between academia and industry in order to foster innovation processes. This agreement, in particular, concerns a strategic sector for the fight against climate change and is signed at a particular moment in the life of the country, representing a clear signal of how universities and businesses can pool skills, training and research together for recovery, developing an ever closer synergy between the players in the field with the ultimate aim of having a positive impact on the entire economic and social context”.
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