The first Regional Specialization Forum organised by UNIPA under the Sol2H2O project took place in Palermo on the 3rd and 4th of April 2024, with the attendance of about one hundred participants.

During this forum, stakeholders from Academia (UNIPA; UÉvora, Università di Messina, Università Kore di Enna, Università di Catania), Policy Makers (Commissario per l’emergenza siccità in agricoltura della Regione Siciliana, Assessorato Energia e ai Servizi di Pubblica Utilità della Regione Siciliana, Assessorato Agricoltura, Sviluppo Rurale e Pesca mediterranea della Regione Siciliana), Foundations (Fondazione Utilitatis), Industry (SUEZ, Acciona Agua SA, AMAP Spa, FISIA ITALIMPIANTI, Marnavi Spa), EU Initiatives representatives (WestMED blue economy initiative) and Civil Society (engineers, professionals, etc.) have discussed the objectives of the project and what kind of contributions they could give to this project or other future projects, meeting the needs of regional stakeholders.

Centered on explorating various technological solutions for solar-driven desalination water production and treatment, the forum discussed on the feasibility of establishing corresponding value chains in Sicily and assessing their alignment with the regional policy framework.