Enel and ESA (European Space Agency) will collaborate for the development of space sector applications in support of energy security and economic and environmental sustainability. In the first half of 2020, the two partners will launch a circular economy program aimed at promoting the development of innovative services that combine data from the space sector and other technologies for monitoring public lighting, building efficiency and flow of traffic with the aim of improving the mobility and environmental sustainability of cities.
“The space and energy sectors have always been at the forefront of technology and innovation and our collaboration aims to promote the sustainability of our cities and infrastructures, protect the surrounding environment while creating a shared value for us and our stakeholders. Enel is committed to the renewable energy and circular economy sector as it believes they are the engines for improving the quality of life of the communities in which we live,” said Ernesto Ciorra, Enel's Chief Innovability Officer.
Magali Vaissiere, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA, added: “Collaborating with Enel is an opportunity to support the development of applications in the space sector in the field of energy and in the context of circular cities. We are confident that this collaboration can lead to interesting commercial opportunities for European industry, as well as highlighting the potential of the space to offer solutions with environmental and socio-economic benefits on a large scale”.
In addition to the circular economy, the main areas of interest identified by Enel through this collaboration concern the applications of technologies in the space sector, including satellite data in electricity distribution networks, with the aim of (i) reducing technical risks such as vegetation interference with overhead power lines; (ii) optimizing energy services in the distribution and generation phases.
Enel is already supporting ESA in the feasibility assessment studies of satellite services to support smart grids and electricity grid maintenance. The goal is to further improve distribution service and field operations in Europe and South America. The four ongoing studies in this area will be completed in the second quarter of 2020 and will set the framework for their practical application.
