8th International Sotacarbo Summer School on low carbon energy technologies
“RENEWABLE FUELS TOWARDS CARBON NEUTRALITY”
Carbonia, Sotacarbo Research Centre, June 10-14, 2024
In collaboration with
General Programme
The Sotacarbo Summer School on low carbon energy technologies aims to provide students and young researchers and professionals with a wide range knowledge on approaches and technologies available and under development to pursue the decarbonisation goals of most of the Countries. In particular, this edition, will be specifically focused on renewable fuels (i.e. hydrogen, methanol, sustainable aviation fuels, and many more) for the deep decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors.
Monday, 10th June |
Strategies and challenges of energy transition |
The first, introductory day will be devoted to providing the participants with an overview on international goals and strategies to guide energy transition. Particular attention will be given to Europe and the United States, with their ambition to lead the global decarbonization process. The first day includes a visit of Sotacarbo labs and pilot platform, that includes several experimental facilities on biomass gasification and CO2 capture, utilization and storage. The first day ends with an icebreaker dinner. |
09:00-09:30 | Registration and welcome | |
09:30-10:30 | Opening Ceremony | Mario Porcu (Sotacarbo, Italy) Pietro Morittu (City Mayor of Carbonia) Fabrizio Pilo (University of Cagliari) Fabio Tore (Sardinia Region Government) |
10:30-11:15 | The European and Italian strategies for energy transition | Marcello Capra (Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, Italy) |
11:15-11:45 | Coffee break | |
11:45-12:30 | The European “Fit for 55” package and the role of e-fuels | Tudy Bernier (CO2 Value Europe, Belgium) |
12:30-13:00 | Q&A | |
13:00-14:30 | Lunch break | |
14:30-15:15 | The US strategies on energy transition | Bhima Sastri (U.S. Department of Energy, USA) |
15:15-16:00 | The Australian strategies on energy transition | Noel Simento (Australian National Low Emissions Coal R&D, Australia) |
16:00-16:30 | Coffee break | |
16:30-18:00 | Technical visit
Sotacarbo facilities (labs and pilot platform) on low carbon energy conversion |
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20:00-22:00 | Icebreaking dinner |
Tuesday, 11th June |
Green fuels from biomass and waste |
The second day is focused on advanced approaches and technologies to produce renewable fuels from biomass and biowaste. Attention will be given to both biochemical and thermochemical processes, including gasification technologies. A hint on energy storage approaches and technologies will be provided as well.
Specific workshops, organized in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), will allow discussing energy trends and advanced modelling as an instrument for technology development. |
09:00-09:45 | Hydrogen production by biomass and waste gasification | Massimiliano Materazzi (University College London, United Kingdom), |
09:45-10:30 | Experimental development of bubbling fluidized-bed gasification: a case study | Francesco Parrillo (University of Campania, Italy) |
10:30-11:15 | Biofuels production and use | Aimaro Sanna (Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom) |
11:15-11:45 | Coffee break | |
11:45-12:30 | Towards circular economy: Waste biorefinery for carbon neutrality | Muhammad Farooq (University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Pakistan) |
12:30-13:15 | Energy storage tecnologies for sustainable renewable energy |
Giorgio Cau and Mario Petrolese (University of Cagliari, Italy) |
13:15-14:30 | Lunch break | |
14:30-16:00 | School workshop #1
Energy trends in the United States |
Bhima Sastri (U.S. Department of Energy, USA) |
16:00-16:30 | Coffee break | |
16:30-18:00 | School workshop #2
Advanced modelling for the development of novel energy technologies |
Mehrdad Shahnam (U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, USA) |
Wednesday, 12th June |
Power to green hydrogen |
The third day is fully focused on green hydrogen. Conventional and advanced production technologies (especially electrolysis) will be discussed. In addition, the key issues related to hydrogen handling and use (especially in transport sector) will be analysed.
Specific workshops will be organized to introduce the European international market of green hydrogen and some key industrial initiatives for industrial development and deployment of green hydrogen. |
09:00-09:45 | Green hydrogen production by water electrolysis | Jesus Rodruguez Ruiz (Centro Nacional del Hidrogeno, Spain) |
09:45-10:30 | H2 production, storage and distribution: The Project H2IseO, Valcamonica Hydrogen Valley | Matteo Tirindelli (Rina Consulting, Italy) |
10:30-11:15 | Renewable hydrogen production costs | Cristina Maggi (H2IT, Italy) |
11:15-11:45 | Coffee break | |
11:45-12:30 | Prospects of hydrogen as clean transport fuel | Carlos Merino (Centro Nacional del Hidrógeno, Spain) |
12:30-13:15 | Sotacarbo advanced projects on green hydrogen and renewable fuels | Alberto Pettinau (Sotacarbo, Italy) |
13:15-14:30 | Lunch break | |
14:30-16:00 | School workshop #3
The European international programme on green hydrogen: the case of Latin America |
Griselda Lambertini (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina) |
16:00-16:30 | Coffee break | |
16:30-18:00 | School workshop #4
Producing PEM electrolysers: the IMI VIVO example |
Alberto Pedrini (IMI Vivo, Italy) |
Thursday, 13th June |
Decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors: hydrogen derived renewable fuels |
Apart from its direct use, green hydrogen can be used as building block for the production of renewable fuels such as methanol, dimethyl ether, methane, sustainable aviation fuels, and so on. The fourth day is focused on approaches and technologies for the production of electricity-derived fuels (e-fuels) and their potential for the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors, such as heavy-duty transport (especially aviation and shipping).
The day ends with a touristic visit of the amazing Sulcis coast, followed by an informal pizza-based dinner. |
09:00-09:45 | Renewable fuels by means of electrochemical processes | Manuel Alvarez Guerra (University of Cantabria, Spain) |
09:45-10:30 | Thermochemical processes for e-fuels | Michele Mascia (University of Cagliari, Italy) |
10:30-11:15 | Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Prospects for Decarbonizing Air Transport | Mohammed Pourkashanian, (University of Sheffield, United Kingdom) |
11:15-11:45 | Coffee break | |
11:45-12:30 | System modelling of power-to-fuels processes | Preeti Aghalayam (Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India) |
12:30-13:15 | The Prometheus Project | Vittorio Tola (University of Cagliari, Italy) |
13:15-14:30 | Lunch break | |
14:30-20:00 | Excursion to the amazing Sulcis-Iglesiente coast | |
20:00-22:00 | End of School dinner |
Friday, 14th June |
Completing the cycle: carbon capture and storage |
The fifth and last day will allow discussing on carbon capture and storage technologies and their related issues, such as economic and financial impact, public awareness, and so on. Considering the quick technology development in energy transition sector, participants will be also trained on the international legislation that regulates the management of intellectual property.
A final test will be arranged for students requiring university credits (ECTS). |
09:00-09:45 | CO2 capture technologies for industrial decarbonization: overview and process modelling | Manuele Gatti (Politecnico di Milano, Italy) |
09:45-11:15 | An introduction to CO2 geological storage |
Sabina Bigi (Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, and CO2GeoNet) Roman Berenblyum (NORCE, Norway, and CO2GeoNet) |
11:15-11:45 | Coffee break | |
11:45-12:30 | CCUS: economic issues | Matthias Finkenrath (Kempten University of Applied Science, Germany) |
12:30-13:15 | Intellectual property management | Alessandro Leganza (Venice IP, Italy) |
13:15-14:30 | Lunch break | |
14:30-15:15 | Final tests
For students requiring university credits (ECTS) |
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15:15-16:00 | Closing ceremony |