The group investigates storage solutions based on electrochemical and chemical pathways, such as batteries and supercapacitors, or energy carriers like hydrogen, ammonia, alcohols, LOHC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers), and synthetic fuels, with special attention to biomethane to achieve decarbonization by preventing and reducing CO2 emissions through its capture and reuse.
The research spans the entire value chain: from the development of materials, catalysts, and electrodes to the assembly and optimization of cells, including the design of reactors and their integration into different technological environments, while also focusing on the study of electrochemical and catalytic mechanisms to ensure a rational system design.
- Batteries.
- Thermochemistry and Bioenergy.
- Electrochemistry, Carbon Capture and
Utilization.
Destacats 2023
Highlighted News and Results
Spain’s first large-format cobalt-free lithium-ion battery prototype has been developed by the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), CIDETEC Energy Storage, and European partners under the COBRA project, co-funded with €12 million by the EU’s Horizon 2020 program. The scalable, pre-commercial prototype, at Technology Readiness Levels 5-6, eliminates cobalt to enhance sustainability and market competitiveness while integrating innovations such as recycled silicon from photovoltaic panels and advanced safety systems with wireless sensors. Achieving a 90-95% recycling rate for components, the project bridges laboratory advancements to semi-industrial production, paving the way for commercial adoption in the electric mobility sector as part of the BATTECH initiative. Link here.
The VAL2H2 project, launched on June 8, 2023, focuses on developing technologies to produce renewable hydrogen from biowaste, addressing both waste management and clean fuel production. With a €2 million budget over two years, the project targets agricultural, pruning, and municipal organic waste to align with Measure 34 of the H₂ roadmap: analyzing renewable hydrogen production feasibility from waste. The consortium, led by SORIGUÉ and involving URV, EURECAT, IREC, CIEMAT, and INDOX, includes IREC researchers Joan Ramon Morante and Martí Biset, who will study hydrogen quality, impurities, and purification systems while exploring catalytic traps to enhance purification efficiency. Link here.
The Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) has developed RuralGas, a low-cost technology to produce renewable natural gas by combining biogas from organic waste and green hydrogen. Tested in Mas de Barberans, Tarragona, this catalytic reactor creates green methane affordably, targeting rural areas with decentralized waste-to-energy solutions. Self-sustaining and cost-effective, the project, funded by Catalonia’s Rural Development Program and supported by Naturgy, highlights Spain’s untapped biogas potential. It aims to boost renewable gas production, streamline biomethane plant approvals, and benefit rural economies while advancing decarbonization efforts. Link here.
The Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) is advancing efforts to combat climate change through decarbonization, carbon capture, and CO2 utilization. Participating in events like “Aportando Valor al CO2” and “Captura y usos del CO2: un camino hacia la sostenibilidad,” IREC emphasizes transforming CO2 into a resource, raising awareness, and promoting immediate and transitional solutions like geological sequestration and biogenic carbon use. As a leader in energy research, IREC fosters collaboration and public engagement, driving innovation in carbon management to reduce environmental impact and shape a sustainable future. Link here.
Ohter highlighted achievements in 2023
- Development of cobalt-free lithium-ion battery technology for next-generation electric vehicles.
- Validation of a biogas to SNG (1 Nm3/h) prototype in a real-world environment.
- Novel electrode architectures for selective conversion of CO₂ to C2+ products.