Ongoing projects

ECF4CLIM - A EUROPEAN COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK FOR A LOW CARBON ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH EDUCATION (Horizon 2020, 2021-25)

Through a multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary and participatory process, ECF4CLIM develops, tests and validates a European Competence Framework (ECF) for transformational change, which will empower the educational community to take action against climate change and towards sustainable development.

The project strengthens knowledge, skills, attitudes, practices and social norms in the areas of the climate change and sustainable development by:

1. Identifying challenges & opportunities: co-designing the ECF,

2.Testing the ECF: at demonstration sites (individual and collective  competences),

3. Engaging: the broader educational community in evaluating the ECF,

4. Empowering: the broader educational community to triggers and sustain transformational changes

ECF4CLIM website

 PILOT STRATEGY: Scaling up CO2 storage - pilot studies in regions with promising geological resources, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101022664 (2021-2026)

The PilotSTRATEGY project is investigating geological CO2 storage sites in industrial regions of Southern and Eastern Europe to support the development of large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS).

We are focusing our research on deep saline aquifers–porous rock formations filled with brine several kilometres below ground – which promise a large capacity for storing CO2 captured from clusters of industry.

Detailed studies will be carried out on deep saline aquifers in the Paris Basin in France, the Lusitanian Basin in Portugal, and the Ebro Basin in Spain. We will also enhance our knowledge of CO2 storage options in West Macedonia in Greece and Upper Silesia in Poland.

PilotSTRATEGY will also engage with citizens and stakeholders and ensure that community perspectives are fully represented in the project.

PilotSTRATEGY involves 16 research partners from seven European countries and builds on research carried out by the STRATEGY CCUS project (see finished projects).

Pilot STRATEGY webpage

ASTERIx-CAESar: Air-based Solar Thermal Electricity for Efficient Renewable Energy Integration & Compressed Air Energy Storage (Flexible Solar power generation with Compressed Air Energy Storage) (2023-2027), funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.

ASTERIx-CAESar is a Horizon Europe funded project focusing on the development of a novel high-efficiency solar thermal power plant concept with an integrated electricity storage solution. ​The project combines air-based central receiver Concentrated Solar Power and Compressed Air Energy Storage to maximize conversion efficiency and power grid energy management.​

This power plant will provide a highly competitive LCOE/LCOS and optimise the integration of dispatchable, renewable energy storage systems into the decarbonised grid of the future. It will be characterised by two main KPIs: 

• Conversion efficiency: due to the combination of CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) and CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage), the peak solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiency is doubled (>40%) as compared to the state-of-the-art technology (~20%).
• Round-trip efficiency of electrical energy storage (RTE): very competitive RTE >60%, at very low LCOS (levelised cost of storage) of <10-15 c€/kWh.

ASTERIX-CAESar webpage

CO2NSTRUCT: Modelling the role of circular economy construction value chains for a carbon-neutral Europe (2022-2026), funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.

CO2NSTRUCT is an EU-funded research project that has set out to identify, test, and quantify circular economy impacts for climate mitigation modelling for six key carbon-intensive materials: cement, steel, brick, glass, wood, and insulation materials. We need extensive data on the impacts of the extraction of raw materials, logistics, transformation, and consumer industries covering the whole life cycle of these materials.

Circular Economy integration into climate action and policy is limiting the EU's advancement to achieve carbon neutrality as fast as possible. Widely applied TIMES energy-climate mitigation models detail the use of technology and technological advances in its GHG abatement pathways. Because CE practices are technical, CO2NSTRUCT deems TIMES the ideal proxy model to shift climate mitigation models from linear to circular. This project will delineate a “circular climate mitigation” framework to augment TIMES models at a first stage, but that can serve as an imprint for other climate mitigation models. The focus will be on six pervasive carbon-intensive construction materials – steel, cement, brick, glass, wood, and insulation – to map six value chains with explicit feedback loops and quantified rebound effects, key of CE practices. Social and environmental externalities will be accounted for, including GHG & air pollutants emissions, water usage, embodied energy, energy poverty, employment, and inequalities. Once these and other CE measures are identified in the key industries of the six materials, CE tools as LCA and MFAs can be coupled to the TIMES model. TIMES will run several CE scenarios to quantify the role of CE for EU+ climate mitigation in the near-term and future, always ensuring carbon. Outcomes will be translated into useful and effective policy support information for sustainable climate mitigation, minimising conflicts across SDGs (both in EU+ and rest of the world). Although the framework is applied to the whole EU+ energy production and consumption system (disaggregated per country), CO2NSTRUCT will emphasize two economic case studies or clusters: (1) offshore renewable energy production and (2) buildings. CO2NSTRUCT anticipates that the framework can be used globally by climate mitigation modelers and policy makers. CE integration into climate action will drive EC’s goal to increase EU GDP by 0.5% by 2030.

Cordis webpage // LinkedIn

Man0EUvRE: Energy System Modelling for Transition to a net-Zero 2050 for EU via REPowerEU, funded by CETPartnership, the European Partnership under Joint Call 2022 for research proposals, co-funded by the European Commission (GA N°101069750) and with the funding organisations listed on the CETPartnership website (2023-2026)

This project improves and coordinate energy system modelling across Europe and provides open scientific evidence and research-based results that facilitate ambitious emissions reductions for a clean energy transition (CET) while incorporating the measures suggested in REPowerEU. 

Man0EUvRE will improve energy system modelling across Europe and provide open research-based answers with ambitions to:

1. Develop robust pathways for the European energy system that meet climate targets towards net-zero GHG emissions and consider current policies
2. Provide feedback and advice to the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of the individual EU countries.
3. Improve a set of models for conducting energy transition studies at European and national level, which can support NECP generation, evaluation and future updates.
4. Publish consistent energy system modelling datasets and scenario projections at European and national level.
5. Strengthen coordination between national energy plans and EU-wide transition goals.

Man0EUvRE will push the research frontier by:

• Bridging the gap between academic energy system models and real-life applications that support the clean energy transition with model development,
• New insights in scenarios and pathways for Europe that lead us to a net-zero 2050 while incorporating the perspective of a secure energy supply described in the REPowerEU strategy and the Net Zero Industrial act,
• Man0EUvRE will provide a pan-European perspective to the NECP development, enabling joint undertaking with lower costs.

Webpage 1 // Webpage 2

URBANOME: Urban Observatory for Multi-participatory Enhancement of Health and Wellbeing (2021-2025) - Funded by EC (H2020 - Grant agreement ID: 945391).

URBANOME aims at building a common EU Framework for evaluating comprehensively multi-sector policies in urban settings supporting the “Health in all Policies” approach of WHO. In this light the overall objective of URBANOME is to promote urban health, wellbeing and liveability, through systematically integrating health concerns in urban policies and the activities of urban citizens, on the basis of detailed and comprehensive evidence on environmental health determinants, the spatial distribution of these in the city, and the social distribution of their impact among different population groups, accounting for different life styles and behaviours. Integration of health concerns, environmental stressors and social equality in public and private activities help alleviate a wide range of contemporary urban challenges, specifically social cohesion and health inequality, and promote the transition of European cities to sustainable, climate proof, smart and inclusive urban economies.

URBANOME brings together the complete set of environmental, social, and functional features of a city in an integrative analytical framework that would facilitate the identification of the main determinants of urban health and wellbeing and support co-creation and testing of policies and precision interventions designed to improve urban health and wellbeing through Urban Living Labs.

The URBANOME approach will be applied through pilots built by the Urban Living Labs in Aarhus, Athens, Aberdeen, Madrid, Milan, Ljubljana, Stuttgart, Paris and Thessaloniki tackling various levels of environmental exposures, age-dependent susceptibility windows, inter-individual variability, gender differentiation of exposure, and socio-economic disparities. These will allow us to draw conclusions regarding the determinants of urban health and wellbeing that will be translated into evidence–based policy recommendations considering socio-economic and environmental factors leading to urban health inequalities.

URBANOME is part of the European Cluster on Urban Health which includes other research projects funded in the frame of the same call.

Webpage

STORIES: Storage Research Infrastructure Eco-Systems, funded by EU H2020, GA: 101036910.

The StoRIES project is born with the idea of addressing this challenge, bringing together a consortium of beneficiaries like facilities from the European Strategy Forum on Research Facilities (ESFRI), technology institutes, universities and industrial partners to jointly improve the economic performance of storage technologies. The main technological objectives of StoRIES are linked to the energy storage development by providing access to world-class research infrastructures and services, with a focus on improving materials for devices and optimizing hybrid energy systems with a view to make energy technologies more competitive and reducing costs. In addition, StoRIES  focuses on the analysis of socio-technical and environmental aspects of new developments and systems, in order to provide training and education on these issues.

Webpage

SOLARIS: Solar operational Lifecycle and Asset Reliability Intelligency System, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (2024-2028).

The main objective of SOLARIS is to develop and demonstrate the effectiveness of a complete set of both physical and digital solutions for answering the PV industry needs in terms of improved forecasting and operational performance as well as better maintenance, and hence higher profitability of PV systems. The relevance of the solutions will be demonstrated on a complete picture of use-cases encountered in Europe (ground-mounted small- and utility-scale PV plants, rooftop PVs, agriPV, and floating PVs), with different stakeholders engaged. This  is supported b five clear, realistic, measurable, and verifiable objectives (Os) developed hereafter, and related to the HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02-13 call scope:

1. Improve the accuracy and reliability of forecasted data to feed smart digital solutions and to improve the energy management of PV systems.
2. Interconnect physical solutions for PV systems’ automated monitoring, inspection, and response towards better maintenance.
3. Develop a PV asset management software for facilitated decision-making of PV operators, and optimised PV systems’ performance and maintenance.
4. Build large and wide datasets through demonstration, and assess the sustainability of SOLARIS’ solutions.
5. Ensure the widespread use and market uptake of the demonstrated solutions.

LinkedIn

SOLARIZE: Bringing EU-SOLARIS ERIC to its Zenith, funded by the EC Horizon Research and Innovation Action HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-03 (2024-2027). 

The SOLARIZE project intends to enhance the long-term sustainability of the EU-SOLARIS ERIC by successfully achieving the following general objectives:

1. Promoting the long-term sustainability of the new ERIC through the enlargement of the membership.
2. Promoting the long-term sustainability of the new ERIC through involvement of R&D institutes and national funding institutions at the National Nodes.
3. Fostering the creation and consolidation of an ERIC’s Scientific Community at all levels while educating new researchers to make appropriate use of the RIs.
4. Reinforcement of international cooperation and of science diplomacy.
5. Improvement of the managerial skills of the ERIC staff.

EU-SOLARIS ERIC webpage

SALTEAU: Sustainable drinking and irrigation water production from saline ALTernativE wAter resoUrces, funded by the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE), EUROPEAN CLIMATE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT EXECUTIVE AGENCY (CINEA) - Project 101148475 — LIFE23-ENV-ES-SALTEAU.

LIFE SALTEAU will develop and demonstrate an innovative cost-efficient and sustainable concept for enhancing the treatment of saline AWR (wastewater, brackish water and seawater) towards the increase of water availability and recovery of high-added value resources in regions with special water scarcity and more intensive water need, mainly coastal areas and islands.

LinkedIn

SES: Socioeconomic Studies in EUROFUSION Programme.

Achieving nuclear fusion commercialization is a scientific and technological challenge that requires a never seen endeavour of the Scientific Community. But many other factors may affect fusion success. That’s why the EUROFUSION Programme includes Socio Economic Studies (SES) on fusion. Since 2001, SES brings together the expertise of researchers in physical sciences, engineering and economic, social and environmental sciences to evaluate the economic and social aspects of the integration of fusion power into future energy systems.

SES Website

R3POWER: Circularity in the wind farms reboosting by Reuse, Recycling, ecodesign strategies and development of new Recyclable and repairable materials, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and CDTI [Transmisiones 2024](2025-2028).

El objetivo general se focaliza en impulsar una iniciativa integral, fiable y sólida de “repotenciación circular” de parques eólicos, aplicando 3 estrategias conjuntas que maximicen su circularidad: aprovechamiento de residuos - (1) Reutilización, (2) Reciclaje y revalorización (residuo cero en estrategias close-loop y open-loop) - y en torno a su prevención - (3) nuevos materiales fácilmente Reciclables y reparables - catalizado todo ello por tecnologías trasversales como la inteligencia artificial (IA), y persiguiendo el bajo impacto ambiental y económico de cada una de las estrategias. 

Para alcanzar este objetivo general, se establecen los siguientes objetivos específicos:

• Repotenciación circular de parques eólicos a través de estrategias de reutilización.
• Repotenciación circular a través de estrategias de reciclaje/revalorización para palas.
• Repotenciación circular a través de estrategias de desarrollo de nuevos materiales sostenibles fácilmente reciclables y reparables para palas de aerogenerador.
• Validación de tecnologías y su combinación sinérgica para la maximización circular de la repotenciación de parques eólicos.

SOLENGRAF: GRAPHENE MATERIALS FROM WASTE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY APPLICATIONS (MATERIALES GRAFÉNICOS PROCEDENTES DE RESIDUOS PARA APLICACIONES ENERGÉTICAS RENOVABLES), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (2024-2027).

This project proposes to use several recycled graphene-related materials (r-GRMs) made from waste generated in the treatment process of discarded Li-ion batteries from electric vehicles for three different applications related to renewable energies. Since recycled raw materials are intended to be used, a sustainability assessment based on a Life Cycle Assessment approach is also proposed in this project. The applications are:

• Supercapacitors: They combine a high-power density and a long useful life and can complement or even sometimes replace batteries, especially when a large power input is required. Supercapacitors with double electrical layers, based on a rapid adsorption / desorption process will be fabricated with Graphene and r-GRMs, in order to reduce its costs as well as environmental impact. 
• PV: In this project, it is proposed the development of innovative electrodes based on recycled GRMs, with the aim to enhance the electron transport by reducing the photocarrier recombination at the electrode/sensitizer interface, and to improve the long-term device stability.
• Gas separation: Nowadays gas separation processes that require so much energy, and consequently, their energy footprint is extraordinarily high. SOLENGRAF project proposes the use of GRMs and r-GRMs for the development of gas-sensitive membranes.

DUALCELL: Development and application of a new electrochemical cell concept for the production of hydrogen and electricity (Desarrollo y aplicación de un nuevo concepto de célula electroquímica para la generación de hidrógeno y electricidad), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (2024-2027).

The general objective of DUALCELL is the development of a new generation of electrochemical cell, the dual-cell, having functionality for electricity and hydrogen generation. The dual-cell will allow more integrated hydrogen fuel-cell systems by unifying both tasks. The development includes selecting appropriate materials and components to optimize the dual operation, such as electrocatalysts, electrode supports, PEM membrane, contacts and plates; fabrication of dual-cells and stacks, and integration in hydrogen energy system for electricityand hydrogen generation. The system will be coupled with renewable generation, using an intelligent energy management, able to maximize the efficiency, power density and energy density. This general objective will be attained through four specific objectives:

1. Preparation of dual membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with high efficiency towards hydrogen and electricity generation.
2. Optimal fabrication process of the dual-cell, compatible with large scale production.
3. Integration of the dual-cell in a system with capability for electricity and hydrogen production under passive conditions, and its application.
4. Sustainability assessment of the cell.

CAST-V: Circular Advanced Sorbents for Thermochemical Valorization (Adsorbentes Circulares Avanzados para Valorización Termoquímica), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (2024-2027).

The general objective of CAST-V is to develop a waste-to-material upcycling process, in a sustainable production, industrial symbiosis and circularity approach, that it is based on:

1. The thermochemical valorization of heterogeneous waste with high ash content, worldwide widely available, such as municipal waste, sewage sludge, digestates and biostabilized/compost rejects, through slow pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization, with minimal environmental impact.
2. Recycling of the obtained char to produce low-cost advanced sorbents.
3. The use of the sorbents for high-temperature desulfurization (300-500ºC) of pyrolysis and carbonization gas.

QUADIS: Qualification and life cycle assessment of sustainable materials fabricated by additive manufacturing techniques by screening methods, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (2023-2026).

The general objective of QUADIS is to produce by AM technologies the G91 grade and to establish a pre-normative research plan with the qualification guidelines for adequate mechanical analysis. This objective is fully aligned with the concept of circular economy allowing shorter production times, higher complex shapes, better use of the raw materials, recycling possibilities and much higher microstructural control with the direct benefit in the properties.

EPTE: Evaluation of policies for energy transition (Evaluación de políticas para la transición energética), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (2023-2027).

The objectives of the project are:

• To improve the energy-economic-environmental modelling capacity for Spain, to expand the capabilities to represent the expected evolution of energy use in Spain and the potential impacts of different policies. In particular, we aim to improve the modelling of the transport sector, industry, the so-called circular economy, and of consumer decisions on energy efficiency, which are not yet sufficiently explored. We also aim to improve the representation of robust and flexible decision-making in the construction of energy scenarios. Where possible, these developments will be integrated into integrated models such as TIMES.
• Using the developed models, or other models based on micro-data, to evaluate different policy instruments for energy transition contributing to a better design and implementation. In particular, we intend to evaluate transport decarbonisation policies (both fiscal and technological), energy efficiency subsidies for households, and transport fuel poverty policies.

SUCCESS BLADE: SUstainable and CirCular Economy SyStem for wind BLADE (SUCCESS BLADE) of the Call 2021 - "Proyectos de Transición Ecológica y Transición Digital" of the Spanish MCIIN. Within this project, the UASE leads the subproject 3, SUST BLADE - Sustainability assessment of a fully recyclable blade for wind turbines.   

The main objective of the project is the development of 100% circular and sustainable wind turbine blades through the use of a low viscosity recyclable liquid thermoplastic resin called AKELITE. This main objective will be pursued through two efforts: firstly, the validation of the circularity of wind turbine blades by recovering the two main components, fibers and thermoplastic resin, using a simple, scalable and environmentally friendly approach, under optimal conditions for reuse in the manufacture of new wind turbine blades; and secondly, the sustainability of wind turbine blades by comparing the currently used fossil-based materials with alternative bio-based materials, flax fibers. The Sustblade subproject involves the Energy Systems Analysis Unit and the Wind Energy Unit of Ciemat. The UASE is responsible for assessing the sustainability of the proposed materials in environmental, economic and socioeconomic terms, as well as their contribution to the circular economy and the achievement of the SDGs.

GREENH2CM: Strategic positioning of the Community of Madrid in R+D+I of green hydrogen and fuel cells within the Complementary Plan for Renewable Energy and Hydrogen, funded by the Community of Madrid (2021-2025).

En este proyecto se plantea (i) el desarrollo de tecnologías innovadoras de producción de hidrógeno por electrólisis de baja y alta temperatura y otras vías innovadoras, (ii) el aumento de la eficiencia en la producción de hidrógeno mediante la optimización de la conexión electricidad renovable-electrolizador, que también permita su operación aislados de la red, (iii) el desarrollo de tecnologías que permitan la optimización de la integración de la pila de combustible en diversas aplicaciones y (iv) el desarrollo de tecnologías de combustión segura del hidrógeno, puro o mezclado, en dispositivos de uso final (combustores, motores, turbinas).

Los resultados que se obtengan ayudarán a respaldar a la industria nacional dotándola de electrolizadores con mayor eficiencia, duración y menor coste, así como de otros sistemas generadores de hidrógeno a partir de energía solar concentrada; integración de las pilas de combustible y combustión directa del hidrógeno en aplicaciones de transporte (aéreo, marítimo, ferroviario y carretera), industria y edificación y el desarrollo de nuevos dispositivos de combustión y/o la adaptación de los existentes para avanzar hacia la descarbonización y la neutralidad climática.

Transaire: Transición hacia un aire más limpio en España (Transition to cleaner air in Spain), financiado en la Convocatoria 2021 - «Proyectos de Transición Ecológica y Transición Digital» (individual) del MICIIN.

Este proyecto se plantea como una oportunidad de obtener conocimiento científico que pueda ofrecerse a los gestores de la calidad del aire como soporte en la preparación y revisión de políticas nacionales y europeas orientadas a lograr un aire más limpio. Este proyecto se plantea como respuesta a un reto a la sociedad, que surge de la necesidad de reducir los niveles de contaminación en el aire, identificados como un factor de riesgo a la salud pública y conservación de agro- y ecosistemas. En este contexto, el proyecto presenta los siguientes objetivos generales:

- Comprender cómo contribuyen las emisiones nacionales de los distintos sectores emisores a los niveles de concentración de distintos contaminantes.

- Examinar el potencial de mejora de la calidad del aire asociado a diferentes medidas de reducción de emisiones y sus correspondientes efectos en salud y vegetación, así como sus costes y beneficios económicos asociados.

- Difundir a la comunidad científica, sociedad y Administraciones Públicas los resultados del proyecto y facilitar la elaboración de programas de mejora de la calidad del aire.

FOTOVOL3R: Circularity of photovoltaic systems by recycling, repairing and reusing photovoltaic modules (2021-2024), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

This project aims to contribute to the sustainability of photovoltaic (PV) systems from the operation of PV modules in plants until the end of their life. Making a product more sustainable involves not only finding ways to manage and valorize its  waste, but also to increase product acceptance, to reduce the amount of waste generated, to avoid the generation of more waste, and to give a second life to the product. For PV modules, this would involve 1) the detection of defective modules in plants, 2) the analysis of them in order to check if they have reached the end of their life or it is possible to carry out repairs that return them to the market, 3) the treatment of the waste of the modules that have actually reached the end of their life, and 4) the verification of the reliability of the repaired modules. 

FOTOLVOR3R webpage

MateMad: CARACTERIZACIÓN MULTIDIMENSIONAL DE MATERIALES URBANOS: IMPACTO SOBRE EL AMBIENTE EXTERIOR, LA DEMANDA ENERGÉTICA Y EL BIENESTAR DE LOS CIUDADANOS (2021-2024), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Proyecto de investigación PID2020-114873RB-C31).

The project has two general objectives:

- Generate knowledge about the impact of surface urban materials on the habitability and sustainability of cities.

- Generate a reliable proposal, adapted to the vulnerable areas of the city of Madrid, for the substitution of materials on urban surfaces that improves the quality of the external environment, energy demand and the well-being of citizens.

MateMad website

MOD4SMART: Mejorar el rendimiento energético y operativMejorar el rendimiento energético y operativo de los edificios mediante la aplicación de tecnologías inteligentes.o de los edificios mediante la aplicación de tecnologías inteligentes, (Nov 2021 - Feb 2025) funded by Spanish MICIIN (Proyectos de I+D+i en líneas estratégicas 2021, PLEC2021 – 007613).

MOD4SMART tiene como objetivo mejorar el rendimiento energético y operativo de los edificios mediante la aplicación de tecnologías inteligentes, enfocándose en la construcción industrializada como elemento clave de futuro, investigando y desarrollando modelos simplificados para ser integrados en los sistemas de inteligencia de los edificios, que en función de una parametrización óptima, desde el punto de vista de complejidad y coste computacional, permitan dar una respuesta a los flujos energéticos que se producen y maximicen la eficiencia enrgética y la sostenibilidad de los edificios. 

Objetivos:

• Creación de un entorno virtual de cosimulación que permita el análisis de forma conjunta de diferentes factores del comportamiento del edificio.
• Desarrollo de modelos simplificados que faciliten la gestión energética de los edificios y la integración de sistemas renovables como parte del edificio. 
• Desarrollo de soluciones modulares aplicables a edificios nuevos y renovados, y análisis de su sostenibilidad. 
• Demostrar el desempeño mejorado del edificio en términos de coste y eficiencia y evaluación de la mejora del indicador de inteligencia para los edificios SRI. 

MOD4SMART webpage

TEDDY: Decarbonization of Energy through Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with Direct Use of Biogas and Microalgae Technology (Descarbonización de la Energía mediante Pilas de Combustible de Óxido Sólido con uso Directo de Biogás y Tecnología de Microalgas), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (2021-2025).

The main objective is to develop more efficient, economically viable and non-polluting energy conversion systems, based on the synergistic combination of different technologies: high-temperature fuel cells, biofuels, CO2 capture, profiting solar energy and wastewater treatment using microalgae.

BIOMIO-CAR: Biowaste conversion to microbial oils for fuel production, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (2021-2025).

Microbial lipids from oleaginous microorganisms are promising precursors for the production of renewable biofuels. Nevertheless, microbial oil production at industrial scale requires the use of inexpensive carbon sources for cell growth and lipid accumulation. The use of low-cost carbon sources derived from organic residues for oleaginous fermentation represents an interesting alternative with potential application in the energy sector.

The BIOMIO project targets to new processes that enable to increase the techno-economic viability of microbial oils and hydrogen production to be used as biofuels. The production of microbial oils and bio-hydrogen will contribute to accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable use and exploitation of energy. Tasks proposed in this project will promote an efficient technology for biofuels production aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the replacement of a fossil-based economy by a bioeconomy based on renewable resources.

The raw materials used to obtain the microbial oils and bio-hydrogen in BIOMIO are biowastes (agri-food wastes). The use of biowaste as feedstock will help to improve waste management policies through its energy valorization and reduce health and environmental concerns in the framework of Circular Economy. Likewise, carotenoids co-production from oleaginous yeasts will improve the economic sustainability of the biofuel production process.

ALUR: ACV Ambiental de cadenas de producción biocarburantes en Uruguay, con los cambios introducidos en la nueva directiva de renovables DERII y DERIII en aprobación, Technical support to ALCOHOLES DE URUGUAY.

The main objetive is to perform the sustainability and circularity assessment of G91 for the different manufacturing routes via the Life Cycle Assessment Methodology (LCA) and product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methods recommended by the European Commission.

RESILIENS: ANÁLISIS DE CICLO DE VIDA PARA LA EVALUACIÓN MEDIOAMBIENTAL DE UNA TECNOLOGÍA DE RECICLADO DE CÉLULAS SOLARES, Technical Support to University Politechnical of Madrid.

RESILIENS (RECYCLING OF SILICON FOR NEW SOLAR GENERATION) project is funded by the Spanish MInistry of Science and Innovation (2022-2025). The general objective of the RESILIENS project is to develop a cost-effective and environmentally meaningful technological recycling process for silicon solar cells that allows the recovery and reutilization of silicon and precious metals for the manufacturing of new solar cells, minimizing the number of treatment steps, the energy, and the consumables invested in the process.

NUTS2: EMISIONES DE GASES DE EFECTO INVERNADERO PROCEDENTES DEL CULTIVO DE MATERIAS PRIMAS AGRÍCOLAS CLASIFICADAS EN ZONAS NUTS 2 SEGÚN DIRECTIVA (EU) 2018/2001), Technical support to the Spanish MInistry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (2024).