Thanks to this, the OGS (National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics), representing Italy on ECCSEL ERIC, was able to apply for a call under the PNRR (Italy's Plan for Reconstruction and Resilience), I 3.1, "Fund for the creation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures", Action 3.1.1 "Creation of new IR or strengthening of existing IR involved in the Horizon Europe Scientific Excellence objectives and the establishment of networks" - ENE - Energy area.

The ECCSELLENT project "Development of ECCSEL-ERIC R.I. ItaLian facilities to improve user access, services and ENsure long-Term sustainability" was approved for 16.5 million euros.

OGS partners in this project are: Politecnico di Milano, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna.

The general objective of the ECCSELLENT project is to upgrade most of the Italian facilities that are part of ECCSEL ERIC and to expand the Italian node in order to promote the development and internationalisation of our country's research throughout the entire CCUS chain. The work plan of the ECCSELLENT proposal will refer to the facilities of OGS, University of Bologna, Politecnico of Milan and ENEA that are already part of ECCSEL, as well as to the two facilities of CNR (ITAE) in Messina and CNR (STEMM) in Naples which will be proposed to be included in ECCSEL.

The new technologically advanced instrumentation will allow the integration and interconnection of the data and the results collected, and will allow the stakeholders (industry, small and medium enterprises) to test the equipment in real conditions, taking advantage of the experience of the scientific staff. The activities planned under ECCSELLENT will make it possible to strengthen scientific excellence by providing the national research system with the necessary tools to advance the frontiers of knowledge, but also to address more efficiently the major societal challenges posed at EU level in the Horizon Europe framework programme or specifically for Italy. The strengthening of the infrastructure will allow researchers to count on competitive equipment and will therefore have a significant impact on scientific progress, promoting dialogue and comparison with the international research system and consequently on the cultural and scientific growth of the national research population. The proposal aims to maintain the level of excellence of Italian research infrastructures for CCUS, which is already widely recognised at the international level.