Padua: capital of research in advanced energy technologies
10.07.2025
Padua has become a reference point for advanced research on electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies, particularly lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen, which are key elements for energy transition and future electric mobility.
In July 2025, the city of Padua will host three significant events that attract hundreds of researchers, PhD candidates, and students from all over the world. These events are organised by the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Padua, with special contribution from Vito Di Noto, a professor of Electrochemistry for Energy and Solid State Chemistry at the same department. Di Noto has recently been awarded the prestigious Energy Technology Division Award by the Electrochemical Society (ECS) for his research on advanced materials used in energy conversion and storage devices.
The events include:
- ACee-GISEL Joint Conference from 21 to 23 July, held at the "Fiore di Botta" Biology and Biomedicine campus, with the participation of over 250 international experts to discuss hydrogen, batteries, supercapacitors, recycling of critical materials and fuel cell technologies.
- International School of Electrocatalysis 2025 (ISECAT) from 23 to 25 July, bringing together around 100 PhD students and young researchers for advanced training in electrocatalysis. Among the guests and speakers at the school is the President of the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), Plamen Atanassov, who will provide advanced training in electrocatalysis, with a focus on applications in electrochemical devices for energy conversion and storage.
- PhD School on Lithium-Ion Batteries and Beyond (ELMO-LION) from 28 July to 1 August, offering online lectures, case studies and an in-person summer school, with the participation of experts such as Khalil Amine (Argonne National Lab), John Muldoon (Toyota Research Institute) and Elena Ligabue (Ferrari).
"The ACee-GISEL Joint Conference, the International School of Electrocatalysis and the PhD School on Lithium-Ion Batteries and Beyond place Padua at the centre of international research on the frontiers of renewable energy production systems and its storage," comments Vito Di Noto, professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering. "These are challenges whose solutions will have a very strong impact on the energy transition and the definition of new, more sustainable mobility and industrial production systems. In addition to some of the leading experts in the field of research, we will also host prominent figures from the automotive industry, in the spirit of an increasingly close dialogue between universities and industry."
These events highlight the importance of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Padua in the field of electrochemical energy, also evidenced by the awarding, last year, of an honorary degree in Chemical and Process Engineering to Nobel laureate Stanley Whittingham.
The Department of Industrial Engineering (DII) at the University of Padua is a centre of excellence for research and education in various engineering disciplines, including aerospace, chemical, electrical, energy, materials and mechanical engineering. Founded in 2012, the DII comprises 50 research laboratories, offers numerous undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and has over 500 staff members. With approximately 6,300 enrolled students, the Department promotes innovation and competitiveness through national and international collaborations and various spin-offs.
