Environment Park – HySy_Lab - Hydrogen Systems Laboratory (Torino)
Environment Park
S.p.A. is Scientific and technological Park that was born thanks to
the co-operation among Regione Piemonte, Città di Torino and the
European Union: it represents a unique experience in the Scientific
and Technological Parks European panorama thanks to the link between
technological innovation and eco-efficiency, a link obtained by
hosting specialised companies and research centres which main
business is concentrated on these two emerging topics. Within the
Park, about 60 companies are host which specialise on the
environmental aspects of eco-efficiency and of the ICT with a total
of 600 employees.
Environment Park with the co-operation of Gruppo SAPIO (a producer
and supplier of technical gases, Italian leader for hydrogen
production), Gruppo Torinese Trasporti (municipal transport
company), Provincia di Torino, Regione Piemonte and Politecnico di
Torino, set up the Hydrogen System Laboratory (HYSY_LAB)
finalised to research and development activities on hydrogen.
The laboratory, funded with the contribution of EU, has been active
since June 2003 and it is comprised of two areas:
- a hardware experimental lab;
- a modelling and simulation lab.
The experimental lab was created for the following R&D activities:
- test and characterisation of equipment for the production of hydrogen from renewables (solar) via electrolysis and from fossil fuels via steam reforming;
- test and characterisation of equipment for the production of electricity and heat from hydrogen (fuel cells, fuel cell stacks, power systems);
- test and characterisation of equipment for the generation of mechanical energy via power systems associated to high efficiency electrical engines;
- development of equipment for the generation of hydrogen via electrolysis;
- development of fuel cells and fuel cell stacks;
- development of components that are necessary for the fuel cell operation;
- test and characterisation of equipment for hydrogen storage.
HYSYLAB is active not only as an excellence centre for R&D but also as an aggregation centre for Piedmontese operators in the sector and as an educational centre for technicians.