A drone hovers above a field of solar panels operated by Enel North America, representing the company’s energy innovation.

Activating energy innovation

A robust innovation ecosystem is key to building our sustainable energy future. Open collaboration accelerates the development of promising clean energy innovations and unique climate solutions.

Nurturing sustainable ideas

Energy innovation increases sustainable growth potential. In the clean energy industry, each breakthrough idea could lead to the next groundbreaking solution.

At Enel, we don’t leave sustainable progress to chance. Our network of innovation hubs fosters collaboration between internal and external subject matter experts to find and grow ideas from seed to scale.

{{ item.title }}
{{ item.number }}
{{ item.description }}

Turning concepts into climate solutions

Sustainable progress is a race with no finish line. We are constantly developing new business processes, models and technologies that meet the urgent need to manage energy generation and power our world. Here are just a handful of examples.



Scaling green hydrogen

Scaling green hydrogen

We partner with startup Power to Hydrogen to scale up the production of hydrogen with renewable energy, a key innovation for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors.

Finding circular applications

Finding circular applications

Close collaboration with communities, governments and businesses creates local programs, educational trainings and economic investments that improve well-being and quality of life.

Exploring storage technologies

Exploring storage technologies

Gravitational energy storage systems are just one of the next-generation storage technologies Enel is testing to support a more resilient power grid.

Building resilient microgrids

Building resilient microgrids

Combining solar arrays, battery storage, and EV charging at a Massachusetts service station, we deployed the first-ever commercial microgrid integrating power supply and DC fast charger behind the same meter.

Applying artificial intelligence

Applying artificial intelligence

Leveraging solutions from VIA Science, we apply cutting edge AI and ML algorithms to make demand response data ingestion and processing more time- and cost-efficient, supporting smarter and faster decision making.

Fleet electrification

Fleet electrification

Working with Microgrid Labs, Enel provided electrification planning and analysis for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s new bus depot, capable of housing an electric bus fleet and charging infrastructure.

Investing in next-generation power

We enable innovative startups to scale their clean energy solutions for wider adoption. Initiatives like our NextHy Booster Program support early-stage green hydrogen visionaries to validate and perfect renewable energy innovations.

Our latest innovation stories and videos

Open innovation is sustainable innovation

Siloed thinking stifles creativity. That’s why we partner with large companies, startups, industry experts, universities and research centers to bolster energy innovation.

Through our Open Innovability® platform and our network of Innovation Hubs, we’re creating an ecosystem that allows everyone to contribute to the clean energy future.

Enel Innovation Hub U.S. East Coast and Canada

Headquartered in Boston at Greentown Labs, the largest cleantech startup incubator in the U.S. serves as a bridge between Enel and our innovation ecosystem on the East Coast and Canada. The Enel Hub is also partnered with Greentown Labs Houston and MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, expanding its connection to the southern U.S. and more than 1,300 MaRS ventures across Canada.

Enel Innovation Hub West Coast

Located in San Francisco, Enel Innovation Hub West Coast brings together startups, venture capital funds, incubators and top universities across one of the most prominent innovation ecosystems in the world. The hub also oversees emerging ecosystems in Boulder, Colorado, Seattle, Los Angeles and Mexico.

Related topics