News 2024

NEWS

2024

SEPTEMBER
26th

Jose M. Serra participates in the scientific conference, Technological challenges of hydrogen infrastructures, Madrid

The event was organised by the French Embassy in Spain, and the Hydrogen Technology Observatory, in collaboration with Enagás, was held on 26th September at the headquarters of the Institut Français in Madrid.

The event was opened by Aymeric Chuzeville, Minister Counsellor of the French Embassy in Spain and Chargé d'Affaires, and Natalia Latorre, Director General of Energy Transition at Enagás.

Prof. Serra gave the talk to the panel of experts, who debated the main technological challenges for developing the future hydrogen network in Europe and the fulfilment of the objectives set by the European Union.

In addition, the round table included Daniel Hissel, deputy director of the CNRS Hydrogen Research Federation (FRH2) and José Moisés Martín Carretero, director general of the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI). The round table was moderated by Beatriz von Munthe, an expert in technological innovation and energy transition.

Link to YT video https://www.youtube.com/live/vzKTvrEmg_U

SEPTEMBER
27th

MEDNIGHT 2024. Several of our colleagues participated in a new edition of the European Researcher’s Night

ITQ (UPV-CSIC) participates once again in the European Researcher’s Night. The event aims to disseminate science, encourage children's interest in scientific careers, and share with the public the work carried out by researchers from the participating centers in their respective research centers.

Researchers have prepared exciting and dynamic chemical experiments to bring chemistry closer to children and show them how science is part of their daily lives. The public has been able to actively participate in some of the experiments organised by the ITQ (UPV-CSIC). In contrast, the research centre staff will perform others as a demonstration.

The European Research Night is part of the SCIENCE GTS project, an event associated with the European Union's MSCA and Citizens initiative funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Learn more:
https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/msca-citizens/join-a-celebration-of-science

SEPTEMBER
30th

Jose M. Serra participates at the 3rd International Inn-ECOSysChem ERC Symposium, Corea.
30th Sept- 1st Oct, 2024

Prof. Jose Serra, ECSGroup leader, gave a talk on ‘Gas Conversion Using Catalytic Membrane Reactors’ as a keynote speaker at the 3rd International Inn-ECOSysChem ERC Symposium on Next-Generation Technologies for Carbon Management and Renewable Energy, which was held on the 30th September and the 1st October, 2024 in the GIST & Inn-ECOSysChem research center in Gwangju, Korea.

OCTOBER
8th

SOMMER EU Project meeting

‘SOMMER. Solar-based Membrane Reactor for Syngas Production’ project, which Maria Balaguer leads from the ECSGroup at ITQ, investigates the process of producing renewable fuels and chemicals through the use of sunlight as an energy source using only CO2 and water as feedstock.

Since SOMMER was launched at the end of 2023, the companies and research centres involved in the project have met twice to discuss the research progress and follow up on the milestones set.

Learn more: https://sommer-project.eu/sommer-project-marks-initial-milestone-with-six-month-projectmeeting/

OCTOBER
17th

Prof. Jose M. Serra participates at the Power Electronics 1st Conference on Energy Storage and its Value Chain.

Prof. Jose M. Serra, group leader, participated in the 1st Conference on Energy Storage and its Value Chain, organised by Power Electronic, with the support of the University of Valencia (UV) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV).

The event occurred on the 17th of October at the Power Electronics facilities and was broadcast online on its YouTube channel.

The event brings together leading experts from Spain's energy storage value chain, who have discussed the latest strategies and advances in this technology.

Prof. Serra participated in the round table discussion ‘Most relevant aspects of R&D and training in storage’, in which he was also accompanied by Ms Consuelo Gómez-Zarzuela, University Relations Manager at Power Electronics; Mr André Vieira, Consultant & Project Manager at EIT Innoenergy; Ms Mayte Gil-Agustí, Coordinator of the Batteries Area at the Instituto Tecnológico de Energía (ITE) and, finally, Mr José Ignacio Cuenca, General Manager and Director of Vulkan Spain. The round table was moderated by Mr. Gonzalo Abellán, Co-founder of ICMOL-MATTECO.

You can watch the conference at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/H9VSyFmf734

NOVEMBER
14th

Breakthrough research of the EC&SG achieves over 1,000 Views: Enhanced Hydrogen Production with Microwave-Driven Water-Splitting

We are excited to share that our recent research, titled "Enhanced Hydrogen Production in Microwave‐Driven Water‐Splitting Redox Cycles by Engineering Ceria Properties," has garnered over 1,000 views on Advanced Energy Materials. This achievement underscores the significance of our work in advancing hydrogen production technologies.

This breakthrough highlights the innovative approaches being explored by the EC&SG in the field of sustainable energy. We thank our colleagues and collaborators for their contributions to this important research, and we look forward to further developments in hydrogen production through microwave-driven processes.

You can access the paper through the following link:
https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202401443

SEPTEMBER
23rd

Colleagues from ECSGroup participate at the XXIX Ibero-American Catalysis Congress

The ECSGroup proudly participated in the XXIX Ibero-American Catalysis Congress held in Bilbao, Spain, from September 23rd to 27th, 2024. Under the theme "Catalysis: Innovating for a Changing World," this year’s event facilitated valuable exchanges among researchers, professionals, and students, focused on advancing key topics in catalysis aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Our team presented their latest research findings, contributing to impactful discussions that promote collaboration within the Ibero-American catalytic community.

Learn more: https://www.cicat2024.com/?lang=en

JULY
23rd

ITQ (UPV-CSIC) and ITACA (UPV) develop materials to improve hydrogen production from water using microwave radiation.

Colleagues from the Energy Conversion and Storage group at ITQ and the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (ITACA) have developed the design of materials that improve the process of obtaining hydrogen from water using microwave radiation. The process allows obtaining hydrogen from renewable electrical energy and thus avoids CO2 emissions derived from hydrogen production.

The research focuses on significantly improving the production of green hydrogen through redox cycles, in which the material takes and releases oxygen from water, stably separating it from oxygen. The developed process allows green hydrogen to be obtained from renewable electrical energy due to the design and use of materials that have these redox properties and respond to microwave radiation.

Scientific article link
Press release CSIC (Spanish)

JULY
15th

Several of our colleagues participated in the Solid State Ionics (SSI-24) Conference in London

Researchers from the ECSGroup participated and presented their results at the 24th International Conference on Solid State Ionics, held in London from July 15-19, 2024.

This conference focused on advancing the fundamental science behind electrochemical technologies essential for achieving net zero emissions, highlighting innovations in materials discovery and characterization techniques critical for the green energy transition.

Learn more: https://ssi24.scito.org/

JULY
7th

The European Commission selects the project iCAREPLAST, coordinated by ITQ (UPV-CSIC), as one of the most outstanding research projects in the field of energy

The iCAREPLAST project, coordinated by Prof. Jose Serra and Dr. Laura Almar has been included in the Cordis Results Pack “Decarbonization, energy efficiency and circularity for a climate-neutral and sustainable European Union” as one of the most relevant projects in the field of energy innovation. The project, financed with European funds, aims to improve the circularity of the plastics industry by developing processes that enable the recycling of previously unrecyclable plastic waste, which is what ends up in landfills. It thus contributes to the overall efficiency of this industry, both in terms of energy and raw materials.

iCAREPLAST article - EU research results (6 languages: DE, EN, ES, FR, IT, PL)

CORDIS Results Pack: Decarbonisation, energy efficiency and circularity for a climate-neutral and sustainable EU

JUNE
18th

Colleagues from the ECSGroup participated in the Prospects on Protonic Ceramic Cells (PPCC2024) International Workshop

Elena Barrio and David Catalán, members of the ECSGroup, presented their research at the 7th International Workshop on "Prospects on Protonic Ceramic Cells," held in Dijon from June 18-21, 2024. This workshop focused on advancements in solid-state chemistry, material science, and the electrochemical performance of protonic conductor technologies, providing a platform for discussing the latest developments and applications in the field.

PPCC2024 offered unique networking opportunities through high-level oral presentations, poster sessions, and social events, allowing participants to connect with colleagues from academia, industry, and research institutions.

APRIL

Professor Jose M. Serra visited the State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces (PCOSS) at Xiamen University

The State Key Lab of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces is a premier research institution in China. During his visit, Professor Serra engaged with leading researchers and students, sharing insights from his extensive research on solid-state chemistry and catalysis. The visit also included discussions on potential collaborative projects and exchange programs between Xiamen University and Professor Serra's home institution. Both parties expressed enthusiasm for future joint research initiatives aimed at addressing global challenges in energy and environmental sustainability.

MAY
14th

Pint of Science 2024 festival

Pint of Science is an international science outreach festival, which is held simultaneously in different bars in Valencia during spring.

Elena Vicente, a colleague from ECSGroup participated in a talk about: "Ammonia to change the course of humanity” on 14th May at CIM Benimaclet.

Thank you to all participants for sharing your knowledge with us also at the bar!

MAY
9th

Dr Marwan Laqdiem’s thesis defence

We are pleased to announce that the thesis defence of our colleague Marwan Laqdiem took place yesterday in the ITQ Lecture Hall with an outstanding result.

The thesis, "Development of high temperature MIEC catalytic reactors for energy conversion and storage applications, " has been co-directed by Prof. Jose Manuel Serra and Dr Julio García-Fayos within the PhD programme in Sustainable Chemistry.

We are delighted with this new success. Congratulations Marwan!

APRIL
23rd

Blanca Delgado receives the award for the best Master's Thesis from the Genesal Energy Transition Chair at the University of Santiago de Compostela.

Blanca Delgado Galicia, a student of the Sustainable Chemistry Master's program at ITQ (UPV-CSIC) during the academic year 2022-2023, has been awarded the prize for the best Master's Thesis by the Genesal Energy- Energy Transition Chair at the University of Santiago de Compostela. Blanca conducted her thesis at ITQ in the ECSGroup under the supervision of Alfonso Carrillo and Andrés López and mentored by Eduardo Palomares. Her thesis topic was the functionalisation of fuel cell electrodes using the nanoparticle exsolution method, a novel area of study that has garnered interest among the prize jury.

Congratulations Blanca!

Spanish link

MARCH
6th

Colleagues from ECSGroup participate at the EHEC 2024 Conference.

Álvaro Represa, a post-doctoral researcher at the ECSGroup, presented his findings at the European Hydrogen Energy Conference (EHEC) 2024, Europe's premier event in the hydrogen sector, held in Bilbao from March 6-8th, 2024. The conference, organized by the Spanish Hydrogen Association (AeH2), gathered experts, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss the latest advancements and innovations in hydrogen-based technologies.

EHEC plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable and clean energy solutions, focusing on the adoption of hydrogen as a viable energy source. This year's conference provided an excellent platform for showcasing breakthroughs in research and development, particularly in electrolysis and fuel cell technologies, and fostered strategic collaborations among global stakeholders in the hydrogen value chain.

FEBRUARY
11th

Activities for the Day of Women and Girls in Science

On February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the ECSGroup organised science outreach activities at the "La Calderona" school in Gillet.

This initiative aims to promote the visibility of the work of women who are dedicated to STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), thus creating female references for children that can contribute to the choice of these areas as careers.

Elena Barrio, Sonia Escolástico, Imanol Quina and María Valls from the ECSGroup participated in chemistry activities for children.

JANUARY
17th

The eCOCO2 project culminates in Brussels with the final review meeting in January 2024

The culmination of four years and six months of dedicated effort came to a successful conclusion in January 2024, when the eCOCO2 project final review meeting was held in Brussels for evaluation by the European Commission. Attended by all Work Package (WP) Leaders, the comprehensive review highlighted the significant progress, results, and the far-reaching impacts achieved throughout the project. Throughout the presentations, the focus was on assessing the final achievements of the project and underlining its importance in the field of CO2 conversion technologies.

In addition, the meeting served as a forum for constructive dialogue between the partners and the European Commission on the future development of eCOCO2 and post-project activities. Discussions were extended to identify further needs in this field, paving the way for possible future efforts to develop CO2 conversion technologies further.

In conclusion, this final meeting marked the end of a project and a renewed commitment to a greener and more sustainable future.