Talent4Iberia

Talent4Iberia — Research Topics

Career development of international talents of the energy research fields in the Iberian Peninsula

Talent4Iberia implements an interdisciplinary and innovative research and training programme, bringing together different scientific fields to provide the Postdoctoral Researchers with relevant knowledge, methods and skills across a wide range of disciplines around the Energy storage ecosystem.

Applicants must provide Research Project proposals related to any of the following research topics

Development of storage technologies that allow the integration of renewable energy in the electricity sector, improving the stability and flexibility of electricity networks in the face of the new generation and consumption scheme. Within this field of action, research will be promoted on batteries (Li-ion, redox flow batteries, metal-air, Na-ion) and supercapacitors to address the existing performance gaps as well as research on new materials, applications and devices to develop new and innovative batteries and supercapacitors.

In this line, research will focus on:
  • Research on advanced materials to significantly improve the performance of current batteries, explore new applications, providing functionality to network operators.
  • Improving current redox flow batteries with new environmentally friendly and cost-less electrolytes.
  • Research on the degradation of batteries to improve their cycles and lifetime for the development of reliable and profitable products, as well as their possible recycling.
  • Increase energy density, insulation, resistance to high temperatures and cost reduction of supercapacitors for their applications in energy storage markets focusing on microsupercaps as an innovative solution.
  • Circular Economy of energy storage systems for achieving new methods not only for recycling any kind of energy storage device but also to increase the knowledge of other important related topics such as Eco-design, Second life applications...
  • Research on Energy Management Systems and Energy Storage strategies at residntial, industrial and distribution grid levels.
  • Research on Power Electronic System for high efficiency and advanced control of Electrical Energy Storage.
  • Research on design, monitoring, protection and control of Electrical Energy Storage going from Cells to Packs, hybridizing batteries and supercapacitors, and implementing BMS (Battery Management Systems)

Research on low-carbon-footprint technologies, conversion to secondary energy carriers, chemical and electrochemical energy storage and their impact on the environment, climate and economy are key aspects of his research.

In this line, research will focus on:
  • The research on the sustainable generation of hydrogen by low and high temperature electrolysis and biomass valorisation.
  • The research on the technology for the storage of hydrogen, including preparation and processing of new materials, materials characterisation and materials testing.
  • The research on the technology for the capture and storage of CO2and its conversion into secondary energy carriers such as methanol and ammonia, using thermal CO2 reduction and electrochemical CO2 reduction, and circular economy approaches.
  • The research on the scale-up of processes from laboratory to pilot plant (TRL 4-6) for prototypes towards their final market applications, including all the topics listed above.
  • The use of models and regulations to inform each scale-up step, namely atomistic simulations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis, energy systems analysis and regulation.

In addition to the transformation of the electricity sector, the decarbonisation of thermal energy systems (heat/cold) is required to meet the objectives of climate change, for which there are different technological pathways. The main value of thermal storage lies in its ability to store large amounts of energy at a relatively low cost and in sectors as diverse as heating/cooling of buildings, industrial heating, or cooling processes, and as a complement to massive energy storage for the electricity grid. Thermal energy storage systems make it possible, for example, to store excess solar energy during the day and use the stored energy at night. They can also be used in adsorption refrigeration cycles, replacing traditional compressors.

In this line, research will focus on:
  • Integration of the thermal batteries on the grid focusing on aspects such as optimization of the electrical heaters that are used to transform electricity into heat for its subsequent storage on molten salts and PCMs.
  • Thermochemical and sorption-based energy storage.
  • Phase Change Materials based energy storage through the rational design, synthesis and characterization of new PCMs showing high enthalpy solid-solid phase transitions and their optimization for long-term storage in more compact devices with increased lifetimes.