Ravenna: New laboratories and spaces for the Environment, Energy and Sea Research Centre thanks to European funds from the Emilia-Romagna Region for one million and 700 thousand euros

The Environment, Energy and Sea Research Center in Marina di Ravenna, one of the locations of the Ravenna Technology Park, will be able to benefit from new spaces within the complex named after Raul Gardini, which will also be improved in terms of energy efficiency. All this can happen thanks to European funds of the Emilia-Romagna Region for almost one million and 700 thousand euros, obtained from the project submitted by the Municipality to the tender for the infrastructural expansion of the regional Tecnopoli, with a total value of 2.215.000 euros. The Region has approved the total requested contribution. The municipal technical offices have started the design phase and the works are currently expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The intervention concerns the real estate complex in via Ciro Menotti 48, already partially repurposed through two previous calls for tenders from the Region, which hosts three laboratories and an incubation and co-working space. The new works will involve the construction of four more research laboratories and three offices, additional toilets and a refreshment point in the main building, in addition to the restoration of the concierge. The project will allow for significant energy savings thanks to the installation of a single photovoltaic system for both buildings, connected to the electricity distribution network.

"The objective – declare the mayor acting Fabio Sbaraglia, with delegation to the University among others, and Councilor for Economic Development Annagiulia Randi - is to increasingly support the research and innovation activities that the University of Bologna carries out within the Ravenna Technology Park, in close collaboration with the Flaminia Foundation as the managing body. Together we are continuing to work to strengthen the activities of the Marina di Ravenna Research Centre, an entity that operates in the sectors of sustainable energy and waste management, marine science and technology, with particular reference to sustainable blue growth, capable of develop innovative solutions to make available to the business world to address the great challenge of the energy transition. It is unique, as it is a public industrial research centre serving the local and national economy and businesses”.

“The approval of the project by the Emilia-Romagna Region – explains Antonio Penso, director of the Flaminia Foundation and manager of the Ravenna Technology Park - it's a significant step towards the implementation of the 'Development Plan of the Ravenna Technology Park for the years 2023-2027' which we developed in 2022 in conjunction with the local authorities and the University of Bologna as part of the strategic priorities identified by the Region. The new infrastructure will allow to increase the research capacity of the technology hub and above all it will be able to increase the direct involvement of companies in the projects.".

Various activities will start in the new spaces. Two new laboratories will be created where research activities will be carried out on sensors applied to health and safety at work as well as on marine robotics and marine environmental monitoring. The two laboratories will also be made available to them “Fraunhofer innovation platform on waste valorisation and future energy supply (FIP-WE@UNIBO)” and “Hydrogen and carbon use through energy from renewables (HC-Hub-ER)” additional spaces in which activities will be carried out relating, respectively, to the production of carbon compounds for the purification of waste water and the development of technologies for the production of hydrogen and for the capture and use of CO2.

The project was submitted in synergy with the Municipality of Faenza, owner of the Torricelli Science and Technology Park, Faenza branch of the Ravenna Province Technology Park, University of Bologna, owner of the research activities and Fondazione Flaminia, manager of the Technology Park, upon signing the Agreement aimed at the candidacy of the Ravenna Technology Park projects – Marina di Ravenna and Faenza branches for participation in the call for tenders for the expansion of the infrastructures of the technology parks of the Emilia-Romagna Region.