The first location of the CNR-ITAE Institute was an old essential oil factory, the 'Villa De Pasquale'
at Pistunina in Messina, built in 1912, and adapted as a research laboratory in 1980.
The Institute of Advanced Technologies for Energy “Nicola Giordano” (ITAE) was founded by the National Research Council in 1980, thanks to the strong will of Prof. Nicola Giordano. The initial name was the Institute for Research on Methods and Chemical Processes for Energy Transformation and Storage. In 2001, as part of a restructuring of the institution’s scientific network, it assumed its current name. The institute was thereafter entitled to the memory of Prof. Nicola Giordano, a scientist from Messina and a full professor of Industrial Chemistry at the University of Messina, who directed it for sixteen years. Prof. Giordano identified the strategy and research lines on energy that are still characterized by significant development and applications today.
The strong growth of the institute in its field of expertise and the considerable strategic interest arised by the energy technologies laid the groundwork for funding from the Agency for the Promotion of Development of Southern Italy, which enabled the creation of a new and larger headquarters, suitable for the needs of a research institute. The new building is located in front of the farmer laboratory, an essential oils factory, and has been fully operational since 1993. The building extends over three levels with a total area of 4800 square meters and includes laboratories, offices, a conference room, a library, and a cafeteria. Prof. Nicola Giordano directed the institute from 1980 until his death in May 1996.
The following directors succeeded the CNR-ITAE founder:
- Engineer Gaetano Cacciola (1996 – 2013);
- Engineer Giovanni Restuccia (2013 – 2014);
- Engineer Salvatore Freni (2014 – 2019);
- Dr. Vincenzo Antonucci (2019);
- Dr. Antonino Salvatore Aricò (from 2020 to present).
