Sizable Energy is launching a new testing campaign at the Natural Ocean Engineering Laboratory (NOEL) of the University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, further strengthening its ties with the Calabrian region. This marks a fundamental step forward for the Italian startup, which returns to the Strait to validate at a pre-industrial scale a technology designed to make the integration of renewable energy into the power grid easier and more cost-effective.
The Technology: Sustainable Innovation in the Strait
The technology developed by Sizable Energy functions like a large battery for the electrical system. The principle is the same as that of pumped hydro plants built in Italy over the past century, primarily in the north, which balance electricity production and consumption and help prevent blackouts. It is a system that was already in use before the expansion of wind and solar power, and is even more essential today with the growing deployment of renewable sources that are economical but not dispatchable.
Unlike traditional pumped hydro facilities that rely on elevation differences between mountain reservoirs, Sizable uses hydrostatic pressure and gravity offshore. Excess energy is used to pump a brine solution, which is denser than seawater, into a floating reservoir. When energy is needed, the fluid is released toward a second reservoir on the seabed, driving turbines that return electricity to the grid.
The Reggio Calabria Project: A 50-Meter Prototype
At NOEL, an innovative maritime engineering operation is taking shape: the installation of floating components assembled into a 50-meter-diameter subsystem. This prototype will enable Sizable to refine the launch and installation methodologies for future commercial offshore pumped hydro plants.
A Technical Partnership of Excellence
The collaboration with Mediterranea University is a defining milestone for Sizable Energy. The NOEL laboratory offers outstanding expertise in maritime engineering and experimental research, as well as a unique environment: a natural basin where real waves make it possible to test marine structures under scaled, authentic operating conditions.
"The collaboration between our University and innovative companies," states Rector Giuseppe Zimbalatti, "demonstrates the central role of the Mediterranea University in the energy transition. The NOEL laboratory continues to prove itself as a unique research infrastructure capable of attracting investment and talent, making Calabria a key player in the global challenge for sustainability and the development of cutting-edge offshore technologies."
“Returning to Reggio Calabria with a system of this size brings us closer to the commercial phase,” explains Dr. Manuele Aufiero, CEO of Sizable Energy. “The synergy with NOEL demonstrates how Italian academic research can become the driving force behind global technological solutions for decarbonization.”
“We are very pleased that Sizable Energy has chosen our laboratory for this new pre-commercial experimental campaign,” says Prof. Felice Arena, Director of NOEL. “We have been collaborating with Sizable Energy since 2023. We hope to follow this project through to its commercial phase, which we would very much like to see take place here in Calabria.”
Zero Emissions, Zero Impact
The system developed by Sizable is designed to minimize visual impact from the coast and does not rely on rare or potentially polluting materials. This sustainable and circular approach enhances energy security by enabling better integration of renewable energy into the power system without harming the landscape or the sea.
The Technology: Sustainable Innovation in the Strait
The technology developed by Sizable Energy functions like a large battery for the electrical system. The principle is the same as that of pumped hydro plants built in Italy over the past century, primarily in the north, which balance electricity production and consumption and help prevent blackouts. It is a system that was already in use before the expansion of wind and solar power, and is even more essential today with the growing deployment of renewable sources that are economical but not dispatchable.
Unlike traditional pumped hydro facilities that rely on elevation differences between mountain reservoirs, Sizable uses hydrostatic pressure and gravity offshore. Excess energy is used to pump a brine solution, which is denser than seawater, into a floating reservoir. When energy is needed, the fluid is released toward a second reservoir on the seabed, driving turbines that return electricity to the grid.
The Reggio Calabria Project: A 50-Meter Prototype
At NOEL, an innovative maritime engineering operation is taking shape: the installation of floating components assembled into a 50-meter-diameter subsystem. This prototype will enable Sizable to refine the launch and installation methodologies for future commercial offshore pumped hydro plants.
A Technical Partnership of Excellence
The collaboration with Mediterranea University is a defining milestone for Sizable Energy. The NOEL laboratory offers outstanding expertise in maritime engineering and experimental research, as well as a unique environment: a natural basin where real waves make it possible to test marine structures under scaled, authentic operating conditions.
"The collaboration between our University and innovative companies," states Rector Giuseppe Zimbalatti, "demonstrates the central role of the Mediterranea University in the energy transition. The NOEL laboratory continues to prove itself as a unique research infrastructure capable of attracting investment and talent, making Calabria a key player in the global challenge for sustainability and the development of cutting-edge offshore technologies."
“Returning to Reggio Calabria with a system of this size brings us closer to the commercial phase,” explains Dr. Manuele Aufiero, CEO of Sizable Energy. “The synergy with NOEL demonstrates how Italian academic research can become the driving force behind global technological solutions for decarbonization.”
“We are very pleased that Sizable Energy has chosen our laboratory for this new pre-commercial experimental campaign,” says Prof. Felice Arena, Director of NOEL. “We have been collaborating with Sizable Energy since 2023. We hope to follow this project through to its commercial phase, which we would very much like to see take place here in Calabria.”
Zero Emissions, Zero Impact
The system developed by Sizable is designed to minimize visual impact from the coast and does not rely on rare or potentially polluting materials. This sustainable and circular approach enhances energy security by enabling better integration of renewable energy into the power system without harming the landscape or the sea.
