A Framework Agreement between the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE) has been signed today in Rome, at Palazzo Piacentini, in the presence of Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy with delegation for Space and Aerospace Policies. The agreement signed by ASI president Teodoro Valente and RSE CEO Franco Cotana, aims to pursue common goals in the space and aerospace sector through all possible energy-environmental applications, and in particular the development of solutions and more accurate tools for mapping renewable energy sources (hydroelectric, solar, biomass, geothermal) and for accurate dynamic information on energy systems and infrastructures. The initiatives, activities and programmes will be implemented jointly and in a coordinated manner.

Specifically, the collaboration will focus on the monitoring of distribution from existing energy plants and the identification of suitable areas for developing renewable generation plants. Observing the Earth from space will be useful not only for energy planning but also for environmental aspects, for measuring and monitoring the Earth’s albedo and controlling solar and infrared radiation, and mitigating climate change through the joint and coordinated implementation of initiatives, activities and programmes.

’The agreement is perfectly in line with the new space policy that Meloni government has been implementing since the beginning of the legislature’, Minister Adolfo Urso stated. ‘Indeed, we have allocated significant resources to the European Space Agency, as well as to the Italian Space Agency, with a total of EUR 7.3 billion for space programmes until 2026. The framework law on Space, which is now before Parliament, places Italy at the forefront in the new space realities in Europe, and will allow Italiancompanies to make the most of the development opportunities that exist in the Space Economy. This agreement signed today between ASI and RSE is particularly important because it aims to pursue common goals in the space and aerospace sector, with a particular focus on next-generation energy applications, the development of alternative solutions for climate change mitigation, and resource monitoring. Earth observation from space thus becomes an indispensable tool for developing a sustainable policy and making our companies more competitive, with reference also to the scientific and technological cooperation projects with North African countries, full in line with the Mattei Plan”.

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’The signing of this agreement further confirms of the role of space activities as a driver ofdevelopment and growth in different sectors of society and the economy’, ASI president Teodoro Valente says. ‘Using Earth observation data for developing services for monitoring resources, implementing service plans for the management and identification of suitable sites for using and exploiting raw materials. We and our partner RSE will work together to improve control of distribution of networks and we will use our expertise in a cooperation that also takes into account climate change and water resource optimisation. Of no less importance is the topic of renewable energy: in the use of alternative energies, the space, and Italy with its national champions, has given a strong impetus to the development of high-performance solar cells that can also be used on the ground. This important new collaboration also has an international perspective with a keen eye on Mediterranean African countries and the entire African continent. We focus on Africa and its integrated development with our Europe. Identifying solutions for minimising the consumption of the necessary water resources for intelligent farming systems requires technologies that, through satellite monitoring data, allow us to develop ad-hoc solutions that can be managed in real time. This is a central objective of the Mattei Plan, which looks in particular at space as a common driver of growth and equal cooperation, fully in line with the sustainable development goals of the UN 2030 Agenda”.

“The collaboration with ASI is a significant step towards integrating space technologies into the energy solutions of the future. By combining the expertise and know-how of RSE and ASI , we will be able to develop innovative solutions to address the energy and environmental challenges of our time, developing and implementing innovative projects for the country’s transition, which will also contribute to climate change mitigation. Our common objective is to create synergies that lead to a more sustainable and technologically advanced future”, RSE CEO Franco Cotana said.

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