IMDEA Energy has launched a new research unit dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI), with the aim of developing trustworthy and explainable AI systems to support decision-making in the energy systems of the future. The new unit joins the institute’s eight existing research units, which specialise in thermochemical, electrochemical, biotechnological and high-temperature processes, electrical systems, systems analysis, photoactivated processes, and advanced porous materials.

The new research group focuses on applying the most appropriate artificial intelligence technique to each problem—whether prediction, optimisation, simulation, or language model-based interfaces—to deliver actionable, accessible, and interpretable results. Its work spans multiple scales, from buildings and local energy communities to markets and regulatory frameworks, integrating real-world data, computational models, and physical principles.

Its main research areas include:

  • Applying machine learning and optimisation to demand response, charging and discharging scheduling, ancillary service price forecasting, and decision-making in energy markets.
  • Developing explainable and causal AI approaches that make model outputs understandable and traceable for both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Collaborating closely with energy systems experts, with a particular focus on reproducibility and on transitioning research prototypes into industry-ready solutions (MVPs).

The unit is led by Dr Beatriz García Jiménez, who brings more than 15 years of experience in artificial intelligence across both academia and industry, applying AI to address challenges in sustainability, biotechnology, and energy.

The new unit’s goals include developing AI to support decision-making in complex energy systems under uncertainty; combining prediction, scenario simulation, and optimisation to enable action-oriented decision-making; and prototyping solutions using real-world data to foster public-private collaboration and technology transfer.

With the creation of this new unit, IMDEA Energy reinforces its commitment to placing artificial intelligence at the heart of the transition towards more efficient and flexible energy systems that are better equipped to integrate renewable energy sources.