The Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) hosted a visit on Friday from a group of R&D project managers from various Canarian centers as part of the ACIISI initiative to promote the exchange of experiences and strengthen multilateral alliances in the field of knowledge

The Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation, and the Information Society (ACIISI), under the Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, aims to foster collaboration among Canarian organizations in preparation for future strategic projects, following the path set by the Forward initiative to strengthen the positioning of the Canary Islands in European R&D calls. Today, a group of R&D managers gathered at the headquarters of the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) in Pozo Izquierdo, Gran Canaria, to learn firsthand about the most prominent projects and initiatives of this public R&D center, guided by its Technical Director, Gonzalo Piernavieja.

Among the attendees, led by Javier Roo, R&D&I Project Manager at ACIISI, were technical personnel from the Canary Islands Foundation for Science and Technology Park at ULPGC, the University of La Laguna (ULL), the General Foundation of the University of La Laguna (FGULL), the Canary Islands Health Service, and the ITC’s Innovation Area, the latter acting as coordinator of the activity alongside ACIISI.

After a brief introduction on ITC's work in providing technological services to public organizations and companies, transnational cooperation (ORs, Macaronesia, West Africa), and competitive R&D&I projects, Piernavieja guided the visitors on a tour of the scientific and technological facilities, covering the following areas: Biotechnology, focused on the productive valorization of native microalgae and, more recently, on the incubation of biotechnology companies; Water, dedicated to sustainable new technologies in desalination, purification, and wastewater treatment, as well as the assessment of coastal water quality; Renewable Energies, aimed at energy production and storage from renewable sources (including Hydrogen) and microgrids with high penetration of wind and photovoltaic energy in island systems; Biomedical Engineering, specializing in 3D modeling and additive manufacturing technologies for bone reconstruction, with high potential in industrial machining and advanced electromechanics for application in industry and highly technological sectors.

Flagship projects in key areas for the ecological transition

Over the past year, the ITC has enhanced its capabilities and technological facilities through three projects funded by the Government of the Canary Islands (as part of the European Union’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, with funds from the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe [REACT-EU] under the Canary Islands ERDF Operational Program 2014-2020, within the framework of the European Recovery Instrument ‘Next Generation’).

BIOGREENFINERY proposes to develop the first experiences in the Canary Islands of fuel synthesis from green hydrogen obtained from renewable energies. DESALRO 2.0 focuses on designing a high-energy-efficiency pilot desalination system, adapted to an industrial scale, unique in the Canary Islands. BLUEACT aims to equip the Experimental Blue Biotechnology and Aquaculture Area in Pozo Izquierdo with specific technological equipment and infrastructure to facilitate the establishment of marine biotechnology and aquaculture companies and the development of industrial activity. These three projects represent a significant boost to consolidate ITC initiatives that contribute to the competitiveness of the Canarian productive fabric and pave the way for new technological and industrial companies in the fields of the blue, green, and circular economy.

Also, in the past year, the ITC, in collaboration with Plocan, ULL, and ULPGC, has been awarded funding in the national call for Complementary R&D&I Plans (within the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan), granting the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands funds for the THINKINAZUL project (Joint research, innovation, and transfer strategies in marine sciences for the sustainable growth and diversification of the Canarian economy in marine aquaculture and blue biotechnology in the context of climate change and sustainable development).

Other notable initiatives for their contribution to excellence in experimental research and the development of technology-based companies and projects in the Islands include the DESAL+ Living Lab platform, coordinated by ITC and integrated by a network of public and scientific-technical knowledge agents in the field of desalination, and the Bioasis platform, aimed at developing marine biotechnology and aquaculture on the island of Gran Canaria. The latter is promoted by the Gran Canaria Island Council through SPEGC and includes participation from ULPGC, through the Spanish Bank of Algae and ECOAGUA, the Canary Islands Science and Technology Park Foundation, and the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC).

The series of meetings between Canarian R&D agents, promoted by ACIISI, will continue next Monday, December 19, with a visit to one of the leading research centers in the Islands, the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC), to learn firsthand about its activities with a tour of its facilities in Tenerife: the headquarters and the IACTEC building (Space, Medical Technology, and Large Telescopes) in La Laguna, and the Teide Observatory in Izaña.