The Spanish Energy Storage Technology and Innovation Platform, BatteryPlat, held its 2023 General Assembly at the IMDEA Energy auditorium on December 19. During the Assembly, the members of the Platform’s Steering Group, whose president is Luis Santos, from EDP, its vice-president Jesús Palma, from IMDEA Energy, and Technical Secretary Francesco Gramendola, from Secartys, discussed the 2050 vision for energy storage, the taxonomy and state of the art report, the capabilities map, the inventory of projects, use cases and other topics, while the representative of the Administration, María Ángeles Ferre, from the State Research Agency of the Ministry of Science and Innovation, presented the activities for the promotion of storage. The Assembly also discussed other initiatives and internal issues. The attendees, who represented companies of different sizes and research centers involved in energy storage using various technologies, had the opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss issues of common interest during, before and after the meeting.

On December 14 and 15, 2023 IMDEA Energy held a new edition of the Young Researchers Workshop. During the event, the center’s predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers presented their scientific work through 40 talks and a poster exhibition in the institute’s hall.

At the end of the event, the awards were presented, being these:

🏅 Audience awards:
Irene Rincón Lucas, from the Advanced Porous Materials Unit, public award for best predoctoral presentation.

Ricardo Carrao, from the High Temperature Processes Unit, audience award for best postdoctoral presentation.

🏅 Jury awards:
Tomás García Rodríguez, from the Electrochemical Processes Unit, best poster.

Sergio Morales Palomo, from the Biotechnological Processes Unit, best predoctoral presentation.

Sergio Carrasco Garrido, from the Advanced Porous Materials Unit, best postdoctoral presentation.

🏅Management recognition for the best scientific contributions in 2023 went to Jennifer Cueto Naredo and Maurizio Pagano from the Thermochemical Processes Unit; Rebecca Grieco, from the Electrochemical Processes Unit, and Miguel Gómez, from the Photoactivated Processes Unit.

The 12th edition of the IMDEA Energy Young Researchers Workshop ended with the traditional Christmas cocktail where we toasted together to the good times of 2023 and to the new year.

Patricia Pizarro, Senior Researcher at the Thermochemical Processes Unit of IMDEA Energy has been appointed this Thursday as Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.

A chemical engineer from the Complutense University of Madrid, her research activity focuses on the development of heterogeneous catalysts and their application in various chemical processes, with special emphasis on the valorization of organic solid waste through pyrolysis technology and the production of hydrogen from biogas. Pizarro is principal investigator of several projects, including the coordination of the BIOCTANE project, and co-author of more than 75 scientific articles.

Co-funded by the EU and Switzerland, the European research project SUN-to-LIQUID II was launched on 1 November 2023. Leading partner institutions from academia and industry will demonstrate scalability and high efficiency in the production of sustainable hydrocarbon fuel from water, CO2 and concentrated sunlight via high-temperature chemical conversion.

What is SUN-to-LIQUID II about

The European Commission (EC) aims to eliminate net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the path to climate neutrality by mid-century. The transportation sector will play an important role in the transition to a society living on 100% renewable energy. Two key challenges towards achieving this target relate to (i) an increased feedstock basis for renewable fuel production and (ii) the long-term development of sustainable fuel technologies for aviation.

While electrification, and likely also hydrogen, will play a major role in the decarbonization of transportation, there will still be a continued need for energy-dense liquid hydrocarbon fuels, especially for aviation and shipping. First-generation biofuels cannot meet the required volumes, due to availability and sustainability constraints. Hence, scalable technologies will be required to meet the longer-term fuel demand. Solar radiation is the most scalable form of renewable energy.

SUN-to-LIQUID II will develop a set of versatile technologies for solar fuel production from water and CO2, such as:

• an improved high-flux solar concentration system for applications using high-temperature process heat;
• efficient “solar-thermochemical” fuel production, i.e. a sunlight-driven high-temperature chemical conversion process, using novel 3D-printed materials in the solar reactor for the reduction-oxidation processes;
• heat exchange and recovery concepts to further improve the efficiency of high-temperature conversion processes.

The ultimate output will be a step-change technology advancement and a roadmap for a robust and sustainable conversion pathway to produce high-quality renewable liquid fuel from the inexhaustible potential of solar energy.

The partnership

The SUN-to-LIQUID II consortium consists of six partners from five European countries (Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and France), under the coordination of Bauhaus Luftfahrt e. V. This unique partnership between research institutes and industry aims to bridge the gap between research and industrial applications in high-temperature sunlight-driven chemistry. Leading international research institutes in the field of solar thermochemistry, German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Fundacion IMDEA Energía, collaborate on the improvement of the solar concentrator and the plant operation at the IMDEA Technology Park in Móstoles, Spain. Furthermore, IMDEA tests and implements novel 3D-printed structured redox materials and DLR develops the solar reactor with integrated heat recovery. The industrial partner HyGear BV contributes the conversion of the solar synthesis gas to liquid fuels. The ETH spin-off and industry leader for high-temperature solar chemistry, Synhelion SA, provides the expertise for scaling up the prototype, and performs the exploitation analysis. Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V. performs techno-economic, environmental, and socio-economic analyses in collaboration with consortium partners. Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V. is supported by L-up, a French consultancy SME, in project coordination, as well as communication and exploitation activities, thanks to its vast expertise in EU projects.

Key innovations

SUN-to-LIQUID II taps into a virtually unlimited resource of sustainable fuel production by developing the technology and roadmap to produce high-quality renewable liquid fuel directly from water, CO2 and concentrated solar energy. The primary objective of SUN-to- LIQUID II is to increase the solar reactor energy efficiency to more than 15% by improving the effective radiative absorption using 3D-printed redox materials with optimized structure and by recovering sensible heat during the temperature swing redox process. It will bring key advancements from laboratory-scale research in redox material and heat recovery to validation in an industrially relevant environment. Besides, this project will provide evidence for cost-effective >80% GHG emission reduction especially for aviation, with technical scalability to production potentials beyond projected demand. The project is built on the preceding Horizon2020 project SUN-to-LIQUID which successfully demonstrated on-sun solar-thermochemical fuel production on a 50-kW scale.

Batteries are responsible for providing the energy we need for our modern lives and, in many ways, are shaping the future of sustainable mobility. However, there is a significant challenge: the management of these batteries along their entire value chain, from manufacture and use to proper end-of-life treatment.

Addressing this problem requires detailed information on the history of each battery throughout its life. From the type of charge and discharge cycles it has undergone to its energy efficiency and charge retention capacity over time. This information should be available to any user or recycler interested in reusing them in second-life energy storage.

What do we do with used batteries?

With use, batteries suffer deterioration of their electrodes. Their constituent elements were not inherently designed by nature to store energy in an unlimited manner; eventually, they tend to transform into inactive compounds for operation.

However, when an electronic device fails – not only cell phones and computers, but also systems with more sophisticated battery-powered electronics, such as alarms or emergency lighting – it is not always due to battery malfunction.

When repairing an electronic device, one of two cases usually occurs:

The device is faulty, but the battery is in good condition.

The device no longer works because the battery does not provide the necessary power or lasts too little time.In the first case, the entire device, the tablet for example, is usually decommissioned and the battery could be used to power the same type of newly manufactured device.In this way we avoid batteries reaching the landfill.In the second case, one can replace the battery with a new one and continue to use the device. In this way we prolong its life and also reduce electronic waste.If the spent battery that we remove has only a slight loss of capacity, it can be used for a second use. As a second-hand battery, it could be used as a power bank or portable battery such as those used to extend the capacity of cell phones, or to power a small device. If it has no capacity left, recycling issues would need to be addressed.In the second life of batteries, electric car batteries play an important role, as they are packs with dozens or multiple small batteries. If they have not degraded too much, there are many applications in which to store a very considerable amount of energy from these batteries. These will have a lower cost, as they are second use, and a very high capacity, because the batteries will have a very high capacity, as they will have a lower cost, as they are second use, and a very high capacity.

Environmental and social awareness

In an increasingly environmentally conscious world, consumers are increasingly demanding devices that are environmentally friendly and economical in the long term. The energy efficiency and durability of a battery are key factors, as they not only reduce e-waste, but also save money. But soon consumers will also want to know how much energy was used in the manufacture of the devices they buy and how much comes from renewable sources.

While this approach is still under development, the idea is clear: to create a complete record of a battery’s life, a documentation or “passport”, for more efficient and sustainable management. This also extends to the fledgling electric vehicle battery production industry, where battery packs are expected to be designed so that they can continue to be used after they begin to lose capacity. If an electric vehicle has batteries of about 70 kWh, it could still have about 56 kWh available at the end of its useful life. This is enough to power 10 homes a day.

However, the implementation of these policies is a considerable challenge, as it involves the need to coordinate various sectors. This includes battery and electronic device manufacturers, automobile manufacturers and electronic equipment repair shops. Specifically in the area of battery and electric vehicle manufacturers, they face challenges related to the sharing of information that often gets entangled in intellectual property disputes.

New EU regulations

The European Union has therefore taken a crucial step in promoting the circular economy with the introduction of new regulations for batteries used in electric mobility and mobile devices.

Thus, as of June 20, 2025, batteries in mobile devices and tablets will have to display information on their energy efficiency, durability, water and dust resistance and ability to withstand accidental drops. This is the first time that a product placed on the EU market will have to display a label, which in schematic form could be like those on refrigerators, with an eco-design score that measures ease of repair.

Among the most notable requirements, battery life must be designed to withstand at least 800 charge and discharge cycles, maintaining 80% of their initial capacity.

Rules on disassembly and repair are also imposed, with obligations for manufacturers to design devices so that batteries can be removed with normal tools without damaging the product and to provide instructions for safe removal. In addition, they must provide replacement parts promptly and for seven years after the sale of the product.

Less waste and demand for raw materials

As for electric vehicle batteries, as of February 1, 2027, they will have to include a label or “sustainability passport”. This document will provide a complete overview of the battery’s life cycle, from its expected life to details on the origin of the elements that make it up and their quantity, as well as details on production and the availability of spare parts.

In terms of recycling, the regulation establishes minimum levels of materials recovered from waste batteries for various timeframes, as well as minimum levels of recycled content from manufacturing and consumer waste for use in new batteries.

Extending the life of batteries and promoting battery remediation not only reduces the need to produce new batteries so frequently, but also reduces the demand for raw materials and the generation of electronic waste. The aim is to ensure that batteries do not end up in landfills, that they last and that they are easy to handle for recycling or reuse.

As we move towards a cleaner, more sustainable future, the way we handle our batteries will play a key role in creating a greener world.

Once again this year, Institute IMDEA Energy has participated in the Science and Innovation Week with the aim of bringing research closer to society and awakening scientific vocations.

In this context, more than 100 students from Secondary and High School visited the center from November 14 to 17.

The activities began with students from Brewster American Schools in Madrid and IES Padre Juan de Mariana in Talavera de la Reina.

The students have visited IMDEA Energía’s scientific facilities such as the pyrolysis pilot plant where they have learned about thermochemical processes, refining stages and subsequent upgrading.

In the pilot plant of photosynthetic microorganisms of the Biotechnological Processes Unit they have discovered the operation of the photobioreactors for the cultivation of microalgae for the production of third generation biofuels, while in the laboratory for testing electrochemical devices they have been shown different energy storage devices, mainly batteries, explaining the research work in the area of storage linked to renewable energies.

In addition, they have participated in a practical workshop based on the production of biodiesel at laboratory scale and in a board game to analyze the opportunities and disadvantages of the integration of electric car batteries into the electricity grid competing with different vehicle models.

The 4th year secondary students of CEIPS Velázquez in Fuenlabrada and the 2nd year high school students of the Leonardo Da Vinci Institute in Majadahonda have completed the cycle of visits.

On November 16 and 17, the research staff of the Systems Analysis Unit taught the participants how to calculate their own carbon footprint in order to raise awareness about consumption in four areas: transport, energy, consumption and urban planning.

Together with the Photoactivated Processes and Advanced Porous Materials units, they learned how to make a thin-film photovoltaic cell using porous titania and some ingredients easily found in everyday life. In this way, the students understood the function of each material and the basic mechanism of the cell, as well as artificial photosynthesis, underlining the importance of using porous materials to accelerate the process.

Finally, the High Temperature Processes Unit carried out a workshop on concentrating solar thermal energy in which they combined theoretical explanations about concentrating solar thermal energy and its different forms of conversion (into heat, mechanical, electrical or chemical) with practical demonstrations.

Dr. David Serrano, Director of Institute IMDEA Energy and Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Rey Juan Carlos University, has been awarded the Miguel Catalán 2023 Research Award of the Community of Madrid in the modality of scientific career.

This important recognition values his scientific achievements, his contribution to the training of researchers and the creation of schools and the national and international repercussion of his work throughout his professional career.

Degree in Chemical Sciences (1985) and PhD in Industrial Chemistry from the Complutense University of Madrid (1990). Visiting Researcher at the California Institute of Technology and the University of California at Santa Barbara. Full Professor at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, then moved to the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, where he obtained a position as Professor in the area of Chemical Engineering in 2002. In this university he has also held different academic positions: Coordinator of Environmental Sciences, Vice-Rector of Research and Technological Innovation and Director of the Department of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Technology.

In 2007 he was appointed Director of Institute IMDEA Energy, a position he has held since the foundation of this research center until the present day. Recently, with his leadership, IMDEA Energy has achieved the prestigious accreditation as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence, awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

He has participated in approximately 85 research projects and contracts and is the author of more than 260 publications in indexed scientific journals, with an average impact of more than 50 citations per publication (h-index = 68, Scopus). Likewise, in the different editions of the ranking prepared by Stanford University, he appears in the top 2% of the most influential scientists worldwide.

His most relevant scientific contributions have focused on the development of catalysts with applications in circular economy, hydrogen production and advanced biofuels and CO2 valorization. Among his achievements is the development of new strategies for the synthesis of zeolites with hierarchical porosity and high accessibility, being one of the leading international researchers in this line. Recently, he has obtained a prestigious “ERC Advanced Grant” in which he has proposed a disruptive concept of zeolites endowed with a dendritic nanostructure with potential applications in very diverse fields. Likewise, his research group has pioneered the use of zeolitic and mesostructured catalysts in chemical recycling processes of plastic waste, contributing to reduce its environmental impact and promoting its circularity.

David Serrano thanked the award highlighting that his achievement is not only a personal success, but has been possible thanks to the extraordinary and enthusiastic contribution of a large group of researchers with whom he has had the opportunity to collaborate throughout his time at different institutions, in particular at the Complutense University of Madrid, the Rey Juan Carlos University and the IMDEA Energy Institute.

Dr. Patricia Horcajada, head of the Porous Materials Unit at IMDEA Energy, has been recognized at the University of Alcalá’s “Doctor of Alcalá” 2023 Research Excellence Awards in the category of Young Researcher in Experimental Sciences.

The award considers the excellence of the scientific contributions, the impact of the same, the leadership capacity, as well as the balance and quality of the research career.Horcajada has a multidisciplinary scientific background. With a degree in Pharmacy (2001) and a PhD in Materials Science (2005) from the Complutense University of Madrid, in 2005 she joined the Institut Lavoisier (France), first as a postdoctoral researcher and then as a CNRS researcher in 2007.

Since 2016, Patricia is Senior Researcher and Head of the Advanced Porous Materials Unit at IMDEA Energia. Her research activity focuses on the development of new multifunctional materials and their application in areas such as energy, environment or health.

She has been awarded several recognitions, such as the Young Female Talent RAC 2022, Young Researchers Leading Groups RSEQ 2020, Leonardo award 2017 or the Research Award of the Community of Madrid Miguel Catalán 2016. In addition, she is among the top 2% of researchers in the world according to the ranking prepared by Stanford University.