The fifth edition of the Hydrogen Summer School, organized by ENEA at the Casaccia Research Centre (Rome) in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome – Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Environment – and the Italian Association of Chemical Engineering (AIDIC), under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, attracted broad participation and received highly positive feedback from attendees.

The 2026 edition, entitled “Hydrogen & e-Fuels: Innovation and Artificial Intelligence for the Energy of the Future”, explored the role of hydrogen and both liquid and gaseous e-fuels as key solutions for a sustainable energy transition. Particular attention was devoted to the application of artificial intelligence, through tools such as digital twins, predictive models, and advanced data analytics techniques, to optimize processes, improve performance, and accelerate innovation in the energy sector.

The Summer School aimed to provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary overview of the hydrogen value chain, examining its opportunities, challenges, and future development prospects, as well as the strategic role of hydrogen as an energy carrier and enabler of decarbonization and the achievement of energy transition goals.

The training program combined specialized lectures delivered by experts from academia, research institutions, and industry with visits to laboratories and experimental facilities, offering participants first-hand experience of the sector’s most innovative technologies. The program was complemented by group projects focused on processes, applications, and technologies across the entire hydrogen value chain.

Approximately fifty participants, including PhD candidates, young professionals from national and international companies, and representatives from various public bodies and agencies, had the opportunity to engage with more than twenty experts and researchers specializing in hydrogen technologies from academia, research organizations, and industry.