Eni and the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) announced the launch of the Eni–MIT Energy Society during the “Italianissimo!” event held at the Boston Public Library on June 7, 2013. In Eni’s vision, this society will become the MIT chapter of a new Eni Energy Society, which will bring together Eni’s sponsored students from all over the world.
Eni is a Founding Member of MITEI and its largest energy research sponsor. As part of its commitment, Eni supports about 10 Eni-MIT Energy Fellows per year on energy and environmental projects. Sixty Eni-MIT Energy Fellows and more than 100 graduate students have been supported by Eni since 2008, and they are now the inaugural members of the Energy Society. The society establishes a forum for long-term relationships between Eni and students, past and present, who have benefited from Eni’s support and who have contributed to a diverse array of energy research projects and innovations.
For Eni CEO Paolo Scaroni, “the creation of the Eni–MIT Energy Society is an example of how energy, culture, and relationships can come together. It also provides a robust new opportunity to unite Eni’s skills with MIT’s excellence in scientific and technological research.”
Of the society, MITEI Director Robert Armstrong said, “Eni’s support for MIT energy students has been an important contribution to bringing the best and brightest students to address the world’s energy challenges. The Energy Society brings a new dimension to our partnership by strengthening the network of students connected to Eni and its vital energy research agenda.”
Earlier this year, Eni and MIT renewed their energy partnership. MIT President L. Rafael Reif and Scaroni celebrated the successes of the first five years and established the path forward for this energy research collaboration.
Eni’s research projects at MIT span the entire energy spectrum, from solar energy to traditional hydrocarbons to methane hydrates. Advanced solar research has been a significant focus of the Eni-MITEI partnership. The Eni-MIT Solar Frontiers Center (SFC), established in May 2010, serves as a central hub for this research drive, and many Eni-MIT Energy Fellows work on these projects. The SFC is home to many notable innovations, including the development of solar cells printed on paper. Flexible photovoltaics, biologically inspired technology, and solar concentrators will also be explored in the coming years.
This article appears in the Autumn 2013 issue of Energy Futures.