Green light for the possible construction of the Einstein Telescope in Sardinia, for both of the two alternative configurations, the “L” and the triangular one. The green light comes from the preliminary Conference of Services on the preparatory study for the development of the technical, economic and environmental feasibility project of the future gravitational-wave observatory, which was held today, Friday 7 November, at the T-Hotel in Cagliari.
The conference, promoted by the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and convened by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, represents a fundamental step in the authorisation process and in the collaboration between state, regional and local administrations and the various bodies involved in the project, which were called upon to express their observations and recommendations on the pre-feasibility study for the Einstein Telescope (ET).
The latter was carried out by a consortium of Italian companies (with an important component of Sardinian companies) operating at an international level, led by Rocksoil spa, within the PNRR ETIC project – aimed at supporting the Italian candidacy to host the Einstein Telescope in the Sos Enattos area, in the Nuoro region – and constitutes the main element of the Italian proposal, with a level of detail suitable to support the candidacy at European level. The study, including the execution of surveys and the preliminary environmental impact assessment for the infrastructural, construction and plant works (both underground and on the surface) in the candidate area, developed both possible configurations of the experiment currently under examination by the scientific community: a detector in the shape of an L with 15-kilometre arms, and one in the shape of a triangle with 10-kilometre arms.
The conference, at the end of an extensive discussion in which the opinions of all the bodies involved were collected, unanimously expressed a positive evaluation of both projects. This is a substantial act confirming the feasibility of building the Einstein Telescope experiment in Sardinia, thus strengthening the Sos Enattos candidacy in the race to host the future research infrastructure, for which two other candidates are currently in the running: the Euregio-Meuse-Rhine region, on the border between the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, and a site in Saxony, Germany, whose candidacy was recently formalised. The Sardinian candidacy, among those in the running, is the first to obtain favourable technical opinions through the instrument of the preliminary Conference of Services.
“With today’s green light, our country is taking a decisive step forward, confirming its ability to look to the future and to host one of the most innovative scientific infrastructures currently under development. It is an achievement that concretely strengthens the Italian candidacy, the result of a shared commitment between institutions, the scientific community and the territory, in which the Government and the Ministry of Universities and Research have always believed and invested with conviction”, stresses the Minister of Universities and Research Anna Maria Bernini. “Einstein Telescope is a scientific and technological challenge of extraordinary scale and a unique opportunity for Italy. A project that projects our country into the future of astrophysics and the exploration of the universe, enhancing human capital, research and technology, and promoting the development of an exceptional territory such as Sardinia, destined to become a laboratory of innovation and knowledge of international relevance”.
“I am particularly proud of today”, began the President of Sardinia Region Alessandra Todde, addressing the participants with the greetings of the Region. “We have reached a crucial stage of an ambitious path that we have undertaken with conviction. An appointment that, since my inauguration, we have worked towards with strength and tenacity, supporting the INFN and the design team in all the requests they have submitted to us, and in synergy with the Minister of Research Anna Maria Bernini, who has always strongly supported, and continues to strongly support, the Sos Enattos candidacy.” “In recent months – explained Todde – we have adopted the method of study and involvement: we are demonstrating with facts that in Sardinia we can work as a team and build a system. We are convinced of the strength of our candidacy, which we will carry forward always guaranteeing the unconditional support of the Region. Because we believe that Einstein Telescope represents not only a great scientific infrastructure of international importance that will bring prestige to Italy, but also an opportunity to release a land with enormous potential that has so far remained unexpressed due to decades of short-sighted policies”. President Todde then wished to emphasise “that we are the first candidate site to hold the preliminary Conference of Services. In a country like ours – often accused of excessive bureaucracy and slow administrative processes – I believe this is an important signal”.
“Today’s step is extremely important in the path of the Italian candidacy to host the Einstein Telescope”, stresses Marco Pallavicini, member of the INFN executive board. “Having a preliminary approval of the project by local and national authorities, in compliance with Italian laws, will represent a strong point on which we will rely in the context of the European competition. In particular, we will bring this result to the attention of the BGR (Board of Governmental Representatives), the council of representatives of European ministries currently managing the competitive process”.
“I thank the Public Works Superintendent’s Office, which agreed to assist us in this procedure by making its professionalism and experience available, the Presidency of the Region of Sardinia and the steering committee, in particular in the person of Raffaele Marras, for having provided us with the guidance necessary to carry out the best possible feasibility study”, states Gaetano Schillaci, engineer at INFN National Laboratories of the South and project manager for the preparatory study. “This favourable opinion is the recognition of work lasting more than a year, which would not have been possible without the support of the group of engineers and the INFN management. It is a favourable opinion for the scientific community, but also for the communities and the territory that welcomed us, enabling us to do our work with peace of mind and with the pleasure of living in this wonderful land”.
Bodies invited to express an opinion in the Conference of Services
Ministry of Culture (Directorate-General for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape – Service V – Landscape Protection; Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Sassari and Nuoro), Ministry of Justice (Onanì-Mamone Correctional Facility; PRAP Sardinia), Ministry of Defence (Autonomous Military Command of Sardinia; Army Logistics Command SM – Movements and Transport Office), State Property Agency, Presidency of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (RAS), RAS – Directorate-General of the Regional Agency of the Hydrographic District of Sardinia (ADIS), RAS – Directorate-General of the Forestry and Environmental Surveillance Corps, RAS – Department of Environmental Protection, RAS – Department of Public Works, RAS – Department of Agriculture and Agropastoral Reform, RAS – Department of Industry, RAS – Department of Local Authorities, Finance and Urban Planning, RAS – Department of Transport, Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Sardinia (ARPAS), Sardinian Water Authority (Enas), FO.RE.S.T.A.S., Central Sardinia Land Reclamation Consortium, Tepilora Regional Natural Park Authority, Sardinia Historical and Environmental Geomining Park, Province of Nuoro, Province of Sassari, Municipality of Lula, Municipality of Onanì, Municipality of Bitti, Municipality of Orune, Municipality of Alà dei Sardi, Municipality of Buddusò, National Fire Brigade, Abbanoa S.p.A., Terna Rete Italia S.p.A., E-Distribuzione S.p.A. – Territorial Network Distribution, TIM S.p.A., Telecom Italia S.p.A., Infratel Italia S.p.A., ANAS, ARST S.p.A., RFI – Territorial Infrastructure Operational Directorate, IGEA S.p.A., Air Force Schools Command/3rd Air Region Land and Assets Office, Autonomous Western Maritime Command.
