Call for papers

Research and innovation in the energy field: the projects that will be introduced in Lecce

Festival’s Scientific Committee selected the best projects which applied to the Call for Papers, an event created to promote research, innovation and to encourage development of new technologies.
May 14-17, the 15 projects judged as the most creditable will be presented in Lecce in the Innovation Area at the Chiostri del Rettorato (rectorate cloistered court): public will therefore be able to appreciate their innovative power and potential.

Following are the chosen projects:

• University of Messina
  Thermo-Acoustic Technology for Energy Applications
  The Theoretical Physics Dept. of the University of Messina realized a research on thermo-acoustic energy.
  A thermo-acoustic system is really less complex than conventional thermodynamic systems and also the produced heath can easily be converted into energy.



• Politecnico of Milano
  Optical fibre interactive membrane as a multifunctional envelope with environmental value
  Caterina Catalano of Politecnico Milano presents a study on a “membrane” with a shading and shielding function, thought to be applied on the front of the buildings, with the result of making them bright and polychromatic and, at the same time, improving urban liveability. The walls and, in certain cases, the whole buildings are going to work as a shield and might also diffuse messages, becoming a space for visual communication.



• E.R.B.A. S.r.l. (Renewable Energy from Agricoltural Biomass) of Bari
  SIAG Project – Experimentation and industrialization of advanced integrated gasification systems
  E.R.B.A. S.r.l. of Bari is engaged in a research project to develop and optimize the biomass gasification process aiming to obtain a gas of uppermost quality. This gas will be used in the production systems for traditional energies and also in innovative systems such as fuel cells or for the production of biohydrogen.



• Lino di Marcantonio (in collaboration with Politecnico of Torino)
  New technology for solar thermal energy
  No panels anymore, but solar pipes for the production of hot water. The new technology, presented by an engineer, Lino Di Marcantonio, in collaboration with Politecnico of Torino, aims to draw on solar energy in all existing architectural environments, particularly in the old ones, where the use is often difficult. The pipes can be placed on all existing covering coats without need of any modification, therefore reducing installation costs.



• ENEA (Institution for New Technologies, Energy and Environment)
  Waste to energy chain: use of biogas from anaerobic digestion to feed molten carbonates fuel cells
  ENEA is committed in a research to define integrated energy production systems which allow to use alternative fuels: by-products from residue, organic fraction of urban waste, biomass of organic origin, sewage of zootechnic and civil origin. All this with the advantage of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, diversifying the sources, enhancing local resources and creating new income opportunities for the companies on the territory.



• Politecnico of Bari
  Monitoring of the energetic performances of photovoltaic systems
  Politecnico of Bari is setting new parameters to monitor the energetic performances of photovoltaic systems. Research is creating and implementing new procedures for the analysis of the energetic data, in order to make a precise assessment of the systems’ functioning possible, pointing out the inefficacy of the currently used parameters for the monitoring.



• University of Torino
  New type of thermal solar panels
  The Theoretical Physics Department of the University of Torino is developing a new technology for thermal solar energy. We are talking about a plastic panel of extremely low cost, suitable to heat water up to a moderate temperature. The panel is made of a sheet of black rubber inside of which a synthetic web has been placed. This systems ends up to be competitive thanks to the simplicity of the idea and the low cost of the materials.



• University of Salento
  ITAN50 – Hybrid urban fourwheeler net recharging
  The Department of Innovation Engineering of the University of Salento is realizing the ITAN 500 vehicle, an urban fourwheeler with reduced volume, low consumption, possibility to work without emissions and on long distances. The vehicle is characterized by an innovative architecture, counting 2 seats in series, electric functioning in areas with limited traffic, hybrid functioning with gasoline motor for medium distances and the possibility to recharge from net during lay-ups (plug-in).



• University of Salento - CREA (Energy and Environment Research Centre)
  SunLife Electric Urban Solar Vehicle VEUS 08
  The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Salento together with CREA are projecting and realizing a photovoltaic vehicle without emissions suitable only for urban environment, aiming to reduce consumption and pollution in our cities. This car has been projected to promote the use of renewable energies, a practical demonstration of taking advantage of solar technology to encourage car-makers to adapt this technology to mass production of future’s vehicles.



• University of Salento
  Carla 2009: less consumption, more distance
  Carla2009 is a single-seater which has been projected to participate to the European version of “Shell Eco-marathon”, a competition involving prototypes coming from all over Europe. The challenge is not about speed performances, but on fuel consumption. The Department of Innovation Engineering of the University of Salento has projected Carla2009, using the most modern available techniques and exploiting materials, components and technologies, which are already available on the market.



• Vestas
  V112-3.0: prototype of a new wind turbine
  Vestas introduces a new innovative turbine, the V112-3.0. It is realized for maximum efficiency and presents a new system including a permanent generator to avoid dissipations and blades 55 meters long, that permit a larger production of electricity, compared to the other 3 MW turbines.



• Visiblenergy Inc. - Sorgenia Spa
  UFO Powerstrip – The Smart Multiple Socket
  Visiblenergy Inc. and Sorgenia Spa are realizing a whole system for the recording, analysing, monitoring and operating, also at long range, of electricity consumption, mainly in domestic environment. We are talking about a smart multiple socket, suitable to connect up to 4 devices, and a software for the acquisition, analysis, monitoring and managing of the consumptions via internet.



• University of Salento - CREA (Energy and Environment Research Centre)
  Emergency housing module
  Research’s goal of the University of Salento and of CREA is to identify, project and realize housing modules, which are easily available in case of necessity. This kind of home is characterized by a high flexibility, compliance with the standards of environmental sustainability, besides the affordable prices. Geometry, materials and air-conditioning system were chosen aiming to guarantee energy saving and ideal conditions of wellness.



• University of Salento - CREA (Energy and Environment Research Centre)
  Energetic appraisal of a building installation system of a Passivhaus for Mediterranean climate
  Researchers of the Engineering Faculty of the University of Salento together with CREA are appraising the first Mediterranean passivhaus in the town of San Vito dei Normanni (Brindisi), a building with an yearly energetic consumption of 11 kWh/m2, obtained thanks to an efficient isolation system and the use of renewable energetic source. This research aims to find out which are the parameters that mostly influence the building’s performances.



• Working team of public and private partnership¹
  Micro Algae Renewable Energy (MARE)
  The MARE project is aiming to demonstrate feasibility and sustainability of biodiesel production in Italy for driving and combustion, starting from a second generation biomass: the micro algae. This research aims to acquire the intellectual property of the production plants for the second generation and to start a first biodiesel production at national level.
  
  ¹ Italiana Costruzioni 2000 Srl - Maxcom Petroli Spa - Renova Srl - PowerFlor Distribuzione Energia Srl - Sanitaria Scaligera Srl - M2M Engineering Sas - Analisi e Controlli Spa - Biomedical Tissues Srl - E.N.E.A. (Institution for New Technologies, Energy and Environment) - C.N.R.(National research Board), Institute for the Study on Ecosystems and Institute for Bio-molecular Chemistry – University of Verona, Scientific and Technological Department – University of Florence, Agricultural Biotechnologies Department – University “La Sapienza” of Rome, Chemical Engineering Department – Research and Development Study Centre “Antonio Meucci”.