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NEST - Network for Energy Sustainable Transition

Acronimo
NEST
SSD
IIND-07/A

The NEST Laboratory (Network for Energy Sustainable Transition) is part of the inter-university network of the same name and of the Extended Partnership funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

Within this project, the NEST Laboratory is actively involved in two main areas:

  • Spoke 4 – Clean Hydrogen and Final Uses:
    Within this spoke, research activities focus primarily on two fronts:
    • Electrolysis technologies, for the design, characterization, and testing of electrochemical components and devices for the production and use of hydrogen.

    • Final uses of hydrogen, with a focus on enabling the integration of hydrogen into existing energy systems, includingblending with natural gas for combustion in conventional systems and the development of sustainable industrial applications, aimed at reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors.

      This research area benefits from collaboration with the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering and the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry of the University of Pisa. The equipment used for this spoke is part of an extended and distributed interdepartmental laboratory: several instruments are shared in cooperation with other departments of the University of Pisa.

  • Spoke 6 – Energy Storage:
    In this spoke, innovative solutions for thermal energy storage are being studied, particularly those based on microencapsulated phase change slurries (MPCS). These are advanced fluids composed of paraffin-core particles microencapsulated in a polymeric shell and dispersed in a carrier fluid (typically water). This solution allows for increased energy density compared to water by exploiting the paraffin’s latent heat, while maintaining fluidity across different operating phases. This research aims to optimize thermal energy use in complex energy systems, contributing to sustainability and energy efficiency. This activity is developed in collaboration with the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering at the University of Pisa.

 

A third line of research at the NEST Laboratory concerns applied studies in environmental monitoring, aimed at improving energy efficiency and indoor comfort in buildings. Experimental campaigns are carried out in indoor environments, with measurements of illuminance, CO₂ concentration, acoustic comfort, temperature, and relative humidity. Measurements are performed using both analog and digital environmental sensors and professional multimeters. The collected data are used to support energy optimization and the design of low-impact, high-comfort environments.

 

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Team

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Professore ordinario
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Professore ordinario
Paolo CONTI

Professore associato
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Attività/Activities

Activities for Spoke 4 – Clean Hydrogen and Final Uses include simulation and methodological analysis for:

  • integration of hydrogen into existing energy systems
  • blending with natural gas for combustion in conventional systems
  • development of new sustainable industrial scenarios to reduce emissions in hard-to-abate sectors

 

Activities for Spoke 6 – Energy Storage include:

  • experimental testing to determine the thermofluid dynamic properties and thermal energy storage capacity of tanks containing water or MPCS.
  • monitoring the temperature field evolution during the charging and discharging phases of the storage system.
  • studying heat transfer phenomena under real operating conditions, assessing the efficiency of heat transfer in both natural and forced convection regimes.
  • developing numerical models to predict the thermal and fluid dynamic behavior of MPCS in different system configurations.
  • integration analysis of storage systems within various energy system configurations and scales, aimed at determining energy performance and heat exchange indicators.

 

Activities on Microclimate Monitoring include:

  • design and implementation of environmental monitoring systems in shared public buildings, with a focus on educational and healthcare facilities.
  • monitoring of key indoor environmental parameters: CO₂ concentration, illuminance, temperature, relative humidity, and acoustic comfort.
  • use of low-cost analog and digital sensors integrated into secure IoT networks for real-time data acquisition and remote management.
  • analysis of the correlation between indoor air quality and occupancy levels to optimize mechanical ventilation and reduce energy consumption.
  • integration of smart building technologies and data-driven energy management strategies.
  • execution of experimental campaigns to test energy-saving measures and health and safety protocols.
  • evaluation of IoT technology’s impact on building sustainability, security, and intelligent management.

 

The following table shows the principal scientific papers on the topics and activities carried out within the NEST laboratory. 

Documents

Year

Journal

Experimental characterisation of heat transfer and energy storage performance in agitated microencapsulated phase change slurries

2025

International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer

Green Hydrogen and the Energy Transition: Hopes, Challenges, and Realistic Opportunities

2025

Hydrogen

Integrated Plant Design for Green Hydrogen Production and Power Generation in Photovoltaic Systems: Balancing Electrolyzer Sizing and Storage

2025

Hydrogen

Energy Savings in University Buildings: The Potential Role of Smart Monitoring and IoT Technologies

2025

Sustainability

Routes for Hydrogen Introduction in the Industrial Hard-to-Abate Sectors for Promoting Energy Transition

2024

Energies

Beyond water: Physical and heat transfer properties of phase change slurries for thermal energy storage

2024

Cell Reports Physical Science

Integrating Energy Efficiency and Occupancy Control in Shared Public Buildings: A Data-Driven Approach

2024

Mathematical Modelling of Engineering Problems

Industrial Decarbonization through Blended Combustion of Natural Gas and Hydrogen

2024

Hydrogen

Renewable Electricity and Green Hydrogen Integration for Decarbonization of “Hard-to-Abate” Industrial Sectors

2024

Electricity

Hydrogen Gas Compression for Efficient Storage: Balancing Energy and Increasing Density

2024

Hydrogen

Synergy in Action: Integrating Environmental Monitoring, Energy Efficiency, and IoT for Safer Shared Buildings

2024

Buildings

Recent and Future Advances in Water Electrolysis for Green Hydrogen Generation: Critical Analysis and Perspectives

2023

Sustainability

Optimal design of direct expansion systems for electricity production by LNG cold energy recovery

2023

Energy

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Progetti/Projects

CUP I53C22001450006
blocco loghi

Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2 (Investimento 1.3 – Avviso pubblico per la presentazione di Proposte di intervento per la creazione di “Partenariati estesi alle università, ai centri di ricerca, alle aziende per il finanziamento di progetti di ricerca di base”)

The project "NEST, Network for Energy Sustainable Technologies" framed in the PE program "Green Energies for the Future" aims to connect the main laboratories and university research groups and the main national research bodies, identifying interdisciplinary skills in order to develop technologies for the conversion and use of renewable sources that should be sustainable, both from an environmental and a social point of view, and resilient for the energy production and distribution, while being less subject to the risks deriving from the current supply system of fossil fuels, basically, oil, and natural gas. 

The ambition is to build a competent Italian leadership, strongly integrated with the territory and companies and capable of supporting the future development towards sustainable and decarbonized energy production and distribution.

This organization allows for a strong interaction among the research groups active in the different spokes, backed up by a significant investment in human resources and infrastructures to increase TRL (Technology Readiness Level) of the most promising ideas and make solutions scalable in the 9 different spokes involved.

Spoke 4 is about “Clean Hydrogen and Final Uses”. Recent EU policies and Italian PNRR and PNR identified hydrogen as key enabling energy vector for National/EU future. In this sense, Italy has to promote a new economic paradigm, where H2 will have a pivotal role. Spoke 4 aims to lay down a technology roadmap to boost Italian H2 revolution, based on innovative technologies, materials and enabling tools (modelling and regulatory approach).  At this purpose 5 WPs have been identified, all of them targeting to study a specific “enabling angle” of this new H2 ecosystem and promoting R&D via a technology transfer approach and looking at overall sustainability/manufacturability. The WPs will always assess the following aspects:  Modelling, Material, Prototyping (at component and system level) and low scale experimental activities in key Italian labs (targeting TRL4/5 and application in different sectors (hydrogen production and use, stationary and mobile application, civil and industrial contexts), Impact assessment and identification of drivers/barriers for the promotion of FCH technology.

Coordinator: 

University of Genova (UNIGE)– Leader

Main Contact: Loredana Magistri

 

Co-Leader: ENEA 

Main Contact: Giulia Monteleone

 

Other Partners: 

  • FBK – Affiliate - Main Contact: Matteo Testi
  • POLIBA – Affiliate - Main Contact: Marco Torresi
  • POLIMI – Affiliate - Main Contact: Matteo Maestri
  • UNIBO – Affiliate - Main Contact: Valerio Cozzani
  • CNR – Affiliate -Main Contact: Antonino Aricò
  • UNIPI – Affiliate - Main Contact: Alessandro Franco
  • UNIROMA1 – Affiliate - Main Contact: Livio De Santoli
  • IIT – Affiliate - Main Contact: Fabrizio Pirri
  • IREN - Affiliate - Main Contact: Giulio Buffo
  • SNAM - Affiliate - Main Contact:  Matteo Lualdi
  • BAKER HUGHES - Affiliate - Main Contact: Marco Ruggiero
  • ARCO FC - Affiliate - Main Contact: Andrea Raggi, Giovanni Cufalo
  • INTESA SANPAOLO - Affiliate - Main Contact: Paolo Panzarini

 


Start date:  1 novembre 2022
End date: 28 febbraio 2026
Duration: 36 months
WEBSITE: https://fondazionenest.it

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Professore ordinario

CUP I53C22001450006
loghi

Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2 (Investimento 1.3 – Avviso pubblico per la presentazione di Proposte di intervento per la creazione di “Partenariati estesi alle università, ai centri di ricerca, alle aziende per il finanziamento di progetti di ricerca di base”)

 

Un’infrastruttura di stoccaggio dell’energia efficace è fondamentale per raggiungere obiettivi ambiziosi nella penetrazione delle fonti di energia rinnovabile e nella decarbonizzazione dei processi produttivi. Le attività del progetto sono concepite per sviluppare tecnologie innovative, dai componenti ai sistemi, e metodi per affrontare specifiche problematiche legate allo stoccaggio a breve e lungo termine di vari vettori energetici. In particolare, il gruppo di ricerca DESTEC si concentra sui concetti di stoccaggio dell'energia termica basati sul calore sensibile (compresa la geotermia) e sul calore latente (materiali avanzati a cambiamento di fase).

Le sospensioni acquose di materiali a cambiamento di fase microincapsulati sono state identificate come il fluido più adatto per migliorare le prestazioni dell’acqua pura nei sistemi di stoccaggio termico a bassa temperatura a breve termine. Le sospensioni a cambiamento di fase mantengono i vantaggi dello stoccaggio termico dei materiali a cambiamento di fase, affidandosi alla fluidità per superare le inefficienze nel trasferimento di calore causate dalla loro scarsa conducibilità termica. Le proprietà termofisiche e le caratteristiche del trasferimento di calore di questi fluidi complessi vengono studiate sia teoricamente che sperimentalmente. Sono effettuate misurazioni di densità, coefficiente di espansione, calore specifico, conducibilità termica e viscosità delle sospensioni in funzione della temperatura. Le attività sperimentali vengono condotte su un serbatoio di stoccaggio in scala dotato di agitatore per valutare le dinamiche di carica e scarica in termini di energia e potenza termica scambiata a diverse concentrazioni delle sospensioni. È attesa una crescita del 50% nella densità di energia immagazzinata rispetto all’acqua. È prevista la sintesi di materiali a cambiamento di fase e di incapsulamento rispettosi dell’ambiente.

Inoltre, le proprietà e le prestazioni delle sospensioni a cambiamento di fase vengono integrate nelle simulazioni dei sistemi energetici per determinare la dimensione ottimale dell’accumulo ed esplorare soluzioni avanzate di gestione e controllo in diverse configurazioni e disposizioni del sistema energetico.

Gli aspetti ambientali globali vengono considerati insieme all’efficacia tecnica.

 

Start date: 01/11/2022
End date: 28/02/2026
Duration: 36 months
Website: https://fondazionenest.it/spoke/energy-storage/

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Professore ordinario
Marco Raugi

Professore ordinario
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Partners

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Servizi/Services

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Attrezzature/Equipments

Recirculating chiller Thermo Fischer Scientific Thermoflex 7500 air-cooled
Cooling Capacity (@ 20°C process setpoint, ambient temperature 25°C): 6425 W
Heating capacity: 4600 W
Temperature Range: 5°C to 90°C
Temperature Stability: ±0.1°C

Ingegneria Energetica

Recirculating chiller Thermo Fischer Scientific Thermoflex 1400 air-cooled
Cooling Capacity (@ 20°C process setpoint, ambient temperature 25°C): 1170 W
Heating capacity: 2800 W
Temperature Range: 5°C to 90°C
Temperature Stability: ±0.1°C

Ingegneria Energetica

System for temperature measurements, including Fiber Bragg Grating temperature sensors, 4 parallel channels, and interrogator (depolarized source). Frequency of acquisition: 100/1000 Hz. Optical band: 100 nm.

Ingegneria Energetica

Dilatometer Lebold for demonstrating the change in volume as a function of temperature and determining volumetric expansion coefficient of liquids.

Volumetric expansion coefficient of the glass : 0.834 104 K-1 

Volume: 50 cm3

Ingegneria Energetica

Differential Scanning Calorimeter DSC 4000 by PerkinElmer
Single furnace heat flux
Temperature range: 5 - 450°C
Controlled heating rates: 0.1 to 100 °C/min.

Ingegneria Energetica

A5000T instrument for acquisition of soil thermal conductivity measurements. 

Range of measurements: 0.02 - 16000 W/(mK) and graphical representation of the curve (ASTM D 5334-92). 

Field thermal needle system for thermal conductivity measurement CTS-120, to be inserted into the soil

Ingegneria Energetica

High-sensitivity thermogravimetric analyzer LINSEIS 

Sub-microgram balance; benchmark resolution; 90-position autosampler; heating speed up to 250 °C/min

Ingegneria Energetica

Multi-vessel vortex shaker for homogeneous mixing, Heidoplh Instruments 

Holds up to 26 vessels; 3 mm orbit; speed range: 150–2000 rpm; temp. range: 0–50 °C

Ingegneria Energetica

Precision coater for paints, inks, and adhesives    

Application speed: 2–100 mm/s; vacuum pump for test paper adhesion

Ingegneria Energetica

Grinding/polishing machine for 230–300 mm disks STRUERS

Variable speed: 50–500 rpm; 1300 W nominal load; operating temperature: 5–40 °C

Ingegneria Energetica

Cooling incubator with compressor technology

Temperature range: -5 °C to +100 °C; compressor cooling; adjustable fan speed; heated door

Ingegneria Energetica

Coriolimeter SIEMENS SITRANS FC MASS 6000 for multi parameter measurements, i.e. mass flow, volume flow, density, temperature

Accuracy 0.1%; measures mass flow, density, temperature; calculates volume, concentration, viscosity

Ingegneria Energetica

Analogic and digital sensors for indoor microclimate measurements.  

Measures VOCs, PM (1.0–10), temperature, RH, noise, light, CO₂; motion, NH3

Ingegneria Energetica
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Docs

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Sede/Location

C/O Palazzina "Fisica Tecnica"
Largo Lucio Lazzarino
56122PisaPI
Italy

E-mail
alessandro.franco@unipi.it
daniele.testi@unipi.it

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