On the technology side, Sotacarbo works on several research and development fronts, including:

• Biomass and waste materials. Energy valorisation of non-recyclable waste materials, such as biomass and plastic waste, through various gasification technologies to produce hydrogen and electrical and thermal energy.
• Hydrogen and e-fuels. Renewable electricity storage through the production of hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels (methanol, dimethyl ether, methane, jet fuel, etc.) through thermochemical and electrochemical processes.
• Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). Carbon dioxide separation technologies with advanced processes, CO2 utilisation processes through the production of high value-added compounds, permanent confinement techniques through mineralisation processes, technologies and methods for monitoring geological confinement sites.
• Energy efficiency technologies. Techniques and protocols for the energy efficiency of buildings, including through the exploitation of renewable sources (solar, wind and geothermal).

The research activity is supported by an extensive infrastructure endowment, which includes advanced laboratory instrumentation and experimental prototypes - in many cases unique in the world - in bench, pilot and demonstration scale.

Much of the experimental infrastructure is part of the European network ECCSEL (the European Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Laboratory Infrastructure), an international consortium of laboratories of excellence established through an agreement between the governments of Italy, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom and Norway.

Thanks to its advanced skills and excellence infrastructure, Sotacarbo represents the Italian Government in the International Centre for Sustainable Carbon of the International Energy Agency (IEA-ICSC) and in the working group on CCUS technologies of the European SET Plan.

In addition, it is a partner in other international bodies and associations, such as the Greenhouse Gas R&D Program of the International Energy Agency, the non-profit organisation CO2 Value Europe, and the Alliance on Sustainable and Renewable Fuels of the European Union.