IRETI SPA

Their core work

IRETI SPA is part of the Iren Group, one of Italy's largest multi-utility companies, managing water distribution, natural gas networks, and electricity infrastructure. In H2020 projects, they primarily serve as a real-world testbed and infrastructure provider — offering access to their operational networks for validating energy management tools, water quality sensors, cybersecurity solutions, and EV charging systems. Their value lies not in research but in providing the critical last-mile infrastructure where lab innovations must prove they work at scale.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IRETI's early H2020 involvement (2015-2017) centered on smart city integration and flexible metering across energy vectors — foundational utility digitization. From 2017 onward, their focus broadened into more specialized domains: water quality photonics, multi-network energy optimization (power-to-gas, power-to-heat, virtual storage), and critical infrastructure cybersecurity. The most recent project (INCIT-EV, 2020) signals a move into electromobility infrastructure, reflecting the utility sector's expanding role in transport decarbonization.

IRETI is evolving from a traditional utility testbed toward an active player in sector coupling — connecting electricity, gas, heat, water, and now transport networks — making them increasingly relevant for integrated energy system projects.

How they like to work

IRETI participates almost exclusively as a third party (6 of 7 projects), meaning they are brought in by other consortium members to provide real-world infrastructure access and operational data rather than leading research activities. They work within large consortia averaging ~20 partners across 24 countries, acting as a validation site rather than a research driver. This makes them easy to work with for any consortium that needs an operational multi-utility environment for demonstrations, but they should not be expected to lead work packages or produce research outputs.

Through 7 projects IRETI has connected with 137 unique partners across 24 countries, giving them a broad European network despite their passive third-party role. Their connections span energy, ICT, security, and transport research communities.

What sets them apart

IRETI's distinctive value is that they operate all three major utility networks — electricity, gas, and water — in a single organizational structure, making them a rare one-stop testbed for cross-sector energy and infrastructure projects. Most utilities specialize in one vector; IRETI can offer integrated demonstration environments across multiple networks simultaneously. For consortium builders, this means one partner agreement can unlock access to diverse real-world infrastructure for validation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PLANET
  Directly addresses IRETI's core multi-network expertise, optimizing energy flows across electricity, district heating, and gas with power-to-X conversion tools.
• INCIT-EV
  Their most recent and longest-running project (2020-2024), signaling IRETI's strategic expansion into electromobility and wireless charging infrastructure.
• EnergyShield
  Demonstrates IRETI's awareness of cybersecurity risks to critical utility infrastructure — an increasingly important concern for energy operators.