eProInn
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Energy and Propulsion Innovation |
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Energy and Propulsion Innovation |
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eProInn s.r.l. (Energy and Propulsion Innovation) was founded in 2014 as a spin-off of the University of Salerno, on the initiative of professors and researchers affiliated with eProLab (Energy and Propulsion Laboratory) of the Department of Industrial Engineering (scientific-disciplinary sector ING-IND/08). More generally, eProInn's mission extends to aspects of the Green Economy related to energy and propulsion, both in the terrestrial and aeronautical sectors. Researchers at eProInn and eProLab have developed extensive experience in these fields. This is thanks to numerous collaborations and industrial projects, as well as a vast network of national and international partnerships, within contracts, research projects, European projects, and bilateral agreements. eProInn, an SME since 2019, is headquartered in the former Monastery "Immacolata Concezione" di Penta, Fisciano, at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III, 10.
The company's purpose is to promote the development and industrialization of a kit to convert a traditional car into a solar hybrid vehicle (HySolarKit), preventing the premature scrapping of vehicles still in good condition, with energy and environmental benefits also from a life cycle assessment (LCA). Vehicles are responsible for a large portion of oil consumption and CO2 emissions, which put climate change at risk. A mass conversion to electric cars is not feasible in the short term because: it requires a significant increase in electricity production from renewable sources; charging times are still very long and the distribution of charging points is insufficient; the current electricity grid would be in crisis. A mass transition to hybrids would also be costly and would require scrapping a large portion of the vehicle fleet, often still in good condition. Ecological conversion is therefore a valid option to accelerate the transition to more sustainable mobility. The work, developed as part of the European project LIFE-SAVE, has been carried out since 2022 by the startup SunMotive.
The PRD (Predictive Regeneration in Downhill) project involves the development of a device for hybrid vehicles that can significantly increase energy recovery during downhill phases, reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The device can also be used in electric vehicles to improve the estimation of remaining range, helping to reduce charging anxiety. Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), like Electric Vehicles (BEVs), feature one or more electric motors that can generate electricity during braking and downhill travel to be stored in the battery. Energy recovery is particularly important during downhill runs, which can last several minutes, provided there is adequate free capacity in the battery. This is particularly true for hybrid vehicles, where battery capacity is limited. PRD maximizes energy recovery by predicting the occurrence of an upcoming descent, without the use of a navigator, and allowing the vehicle control system to activate control strategies for energy recovery. A project presentation is available here.
The Projects of eProInn
eProInn is part of the DAC (Campania Aerospace District). Since 2024, we have been participating in the activities of the working group "Urban Air Mobility: Systems and Operations" (UAM-SO), whose objective is to define a technological vision for the introduction of urban and peri-urban air transport for people and goods, within the context of Urban Air Mobility.
The motivations are:
- Use of urban and peri-urban airways for future sustainable and intermodal mobility of people and goods;
- Development of a low-emission, long-range platform;
- Structuring the management of Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
Since 2025, eProInn has been collaborating on the DIVAX-2 project, for the development of a hybrid vertical take-off aircraft.
Since 2004, eProInn researchers have been conducting research on unconventional energy storage systems, with a particular focus on Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES). Investment in grid-connected energy storage is expected to grow by a factor of 15 from 2019 to 2030 in all regions of the world, including Europe. Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) and Pumped Hydro (PSH) are the most suitable large-scale storage solutions for energy management. CAES systems offer favorable capital costs per unit of power and energy among large-scale applications. A broad overview of the opportunities offered by compressed air storage, with particular reference to the Basilicata Region, was presented, together with the Lucanian start-up InElectric, at EXPO Dubai 2022 (available here). In particular, a UW-CAES system was also proposed, with constant pressure storage in underwater tanks, exploiting the hydrodynamic head to allow para-isobaric operation in the compressor and expander, with benefits in terms of efficiency.
The PPVM software is designed to optimally manage a photovoltaic system equipped with a storage system and connected to a system featuring fixed and programmable electrical loads. The model incorporates methodologies and algorithms resulting from research conducted at the University of Salerno. The proposed model is able to provide forecasts of actual solar insolation and the photovoltaic power produced by a system over a 48-hour period, taking into account weather forecasts. The results demonstrate how it is possible to meet the required loads with a significant reduction (in the order of 20%) in the costs associated with drawing energy from the grid, compared to the results obtainable using conventional management methods.
The results enable preplanning of grid charging of a storage system and the use of programmable loads, such as electric vehicle charging and machinery operation, with maximum reduction of energy costs and emissions.
A presentation of the PPVM project is available here.
Research and Innovation for Energy and Environment
Decarbonization and the bioeconomy: thanks to a convergence of visions and objectives, our startup is a member of Kyoto Club, an Italian nonprofit organization founded in February 1999, which has been committed to promoting the development of environmental and energy sustainability for over twenty years. Kyoto Club has conducted various activities over the years to advance these goals and promote a different approach to the current energy context: training courses, updated workshops on technological trends and regulatory developments with industry experts, support for environmental certification processes, preparation of position papers for the various technological and market sectors covered by the association, and analysis of best practices developed by the organizations' partners.
eProInn's activities are characterized by their significant ecological footprint, in line with many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDGs present a universal call to action to reduce poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people live in peace and prosperity.
The 17 goals include, among other topics, climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, and responsible consumption and production. A detailed analysis of the impact of the solar-hybrid conversion project on SDG sustainability indices was conducted during the LIFE-SAVE project. The eco-friendly conversion of cars emerges as the most sustainable option when analyzing the product life cycle (LCA): an extensive analysis is available in this article.
Gianfranco Rizzo Founder of eProInn and majority shareholder - Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Salerno.
Alfredo Tafuri Minority shareholder - Mechanical Engineer, worked at FIAT Turin, holding a management role until 2016.
Marco Farci Minority shareholder - International Politics Expert, Young Italy Award recipient 2019
Marco Mandolesi Minority shareholder, entrepreneur specializing in startups. Founding partner and CEO of Mamanero Srl.
Serena Li Pizzi Social Media Manager - Bachelor's Degree in Management Engineering and Master's Degree in Philosophy.
Simone Di Paolo Webmaster - Studied Computer Science at the University of Salerno.