As part of the process behind our business and industrial choices, IP Gruppo api is committed to looking at technological advances in the energy field. This includes creating partnerships with some of Italy’s leading universities and research centres.
We work with STEMS at the National Research Council (CNR or Consiglo Nazionale delle Richerche) in Naples and the Polytechnic University in Ancona. In Turin, we work with the polytechnic, the Centre for Sustainable Future Technologies at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT or Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) and Envipark (a hub dedicated to environmental sciences and technology).
OUR AGREEMENT WITH CNR
In February 2020, IP Gruppo api signed a four-year collaboration agreement with the National Research Council (CNR or Consiglo Nazionale delle Richerche). The aim was to work together on joint research, innovation and dissemination initiatives centred on air quality, the environmental impact of public and private mobility and improving transport vehicle engine performance and fuel quality.
With this agreement, IP has an authoritative, independent partner to help guide the group’s long-term industrial choices in terms of sustainability and innovation.
The first initiative to come out of this collaboration was through CNR’s Institute of Science and Technology for Sustainable Energy and Mobility (Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Energia e la Mobilità Sostenibili or STEMS) with the development of OPTIMO, a new premium fuel designed to improve engine performance and environmental impact.
Over 2020 and 2021, tests were carried out on a roller bench at CNR-STEMS laboratories, using vehicles designed for private and light goods transport and representative of the type of vehicle fleets commonly found in Italy. Through this, we optimised the performance of OPTIMO products in comparison with base fuels in terms of consumption and CO2 emissions.