Energy innovation and integration for a clean environment

The 6th Course of the EPS-SIF International School on Energy on "Energy Innovation and Integration for a Clean Environment", jointly organized by the European and Italian Physical Societies, will be held ONLINE from 19 to 24 July 2021. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic conditions do not allow to meet in the beautiful venue of Villa Monastero, Varenna, Italy.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), set up in 2015 as part of the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, aim at eradicating poverty and promote an inclusive development. Among the 17 SDGs the goal of Affordable and Clean Energy aims at ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services and substantially increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030. Europe has set very ambitious targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. As most of the world greenhouse emissions are produced by the energy sector, the impact of these goals on climate change could be expected to be significant. Therefore, research in energy technologies is playing a major role to support this transition and provides a number of opportunities for young researchers in physics and other scientific disciplines.

The primary goal of the School is to provide an overview of the technologies of energy production, conversion, transmission and savings, with a specific attention to the specific needs in research and development. The School will also be a forum for discussion among experts in different technology fields.

The organization of the Course on "Energy Innovation and Integration for a Clean Environment" represents an ideal continuation of a series of biennial Courses: in 2012 ("New strategies for energy generation, conversion and storage"), in 2014 ("Energy: basic concepts and forefront ideas"), in 2016 ("Materials for Energy and Sustainability V"), in 2017 ("Advances in Basic Energy Issues") and in 2019 ("Energy: Where we stand and where we go").

The following fields will be covered by lectures or seminars: solar photovoltaic, wind, hydrogen, biomass, fossils, fission, fusion, energy saving technology, materials for energy and environment and climate issues. The School will also address the energy perspectives after the COVID-19 emergency. Specific sessions are foreseen for student talks with prizes awarded for the best presentations.