Despite stationary energy consumption, CO2 emissions grew by 6% in the first nine months of 2022. Over the whole of 2022 energy consumption is expected to drop by about 1.5%, while CO2 emissions are estimated to increase by more than 2%, due to the increased use of fossil fuels (between January and September, oil +8%, coal +47%, renewables -11%). These are some of the data included in the last ENEA Quarterly Analysis of the Italian energy system, which are among the factors explaining the sharp deterioration of the ENEA-ISPRED energy transition index (-60% in the 3rd quarter).

A continued record-breaking ocean temperature with increasing in stratification and changes in water salinity pattern give insight into what the future holds amidst a perpetually heating climate. The Mediterranean is a hot spot of the global crisis, warming up faster than the rest of the planet. The study published in Advances in Atmospheric Science is authored by an international team of 24 researchers from 16 institutions (including Franco Reseghetti at ENEA, the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development and Simona Simoncelli at INGV, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology).

Facing the ambitious target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, to increase the share of clean energy production, combining innovation, agricultural activity and solar energy production from photovoltaic (PV) , without causing additional environmental impact. This is the target of the SYMBIOSYST project, leaded by 16 partners, including for Italy, Eurac Research (coordinator), EF Solare, Convert, ETA Florence Renewable Energy, Centro di Sperimentazione Laimburg (Italy), Südtiroler Bauernbund (Italy) and ENEA, and funded by Horizon Europe programme to match energy supply issues with the agricultural sector needs and create a symbiosis where PV and agriculture can have a mutually beneficial relationship.

New 3D printing methods to create cost-effective products with composite and hybrid materials for the aeronautical, automotive, missile and pharmaceutical sectors. This is the outcome of the project AMICO funded with 8 million euro, half of which by the Ministry of University and Research. ENEA participates in the project as a partner of IMAST (lead partner), the Italian technological district for the engineering of composite and polymeric materials and structures which also includes Leonardo, FCA Italy, MBDA, Dompé Farmaceutici, Cnr, CRF, CIRA, Polytechnic of Turin and University of Naples Federico II. Also the University of Rome "La Sapienza", the University of Trento and Aerosoft Spa participated in the project as partners.

Two SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies have been replicated at the ENEA Casaccia Research Center (Rome) at reduced cost and time compared to conventional methods, using a wild species of tobacco plant as a "biofactory" (Nicotiana benthamiana) by a team comprising ENEA, Cnr and Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences (TLS). The findings were published in the leading international journal Frontiers in Plant Science.

Designing a compact, light, reliable and safe mini-nuclear italian made reactor to power future lunar bases and the subsequent colonization of Mars and deep Space. This is the objective of a collaboration agreement signed by ENEA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) exploiting the multidisciplinary skills, infrastructures and expertise of the ENEA Research Centers of Bologna and Brasimone (Bologna) and ASI to build a Space Nuclear Reactor (SNR).