Carrying out projects aimed at optimizing the process, highlighting the following sublines of work:

• Pre-treatments oriented to the characteristics of each waste to improve its biodegradability and inoculum.
• Evaluation of codigestion, through characterization and analysis of synergistic mixtures.
• Development and evaluation of new digester designs.
• Systems monitoring and control tools and evaluation of operational conditions.
• Valorization of outflow streams: recovery of nutrients through the use of hydrophobic membranes, biological systems or wetlands. It also includes post-treatments (composting) and the determination of its capacity as a biofertilizer. Evaluation and conversion of VFAs: conversion into other value-added compounds.

Evaluation and development of processes aimed at obtaining gaseous streams with energy interest from biomass of different origin.

• Study of pretreatment of materials and use of additives.
• Direct gasification of residual biomass (organic sludge, agroforestry waste, etc).
• Gasification combined with “water gas shift – WGS” or with “sorption enhanced water gas shift – SEWGS” to obtain hydrogen. Study of catalysts and hybrid systems (adsorbent+catalyst) to carry out the reaction.
• Pyrolysis and use of byproducts (biochar.

Research focused on the application and uses of gases with energy potential: biogas, syngas, methane, hydrogen.

• Cleaning systems: new adsorbents for the capture of compounds such as H2S.
• Gas mixture purification systems:
• conversion through biological methanation by hydrogenotrophic archaea: power to gas concept.
• CO2 capture: adsorption/absorption with different materials, purification through cultivation and growth of microalgae.
• membrane and PSA technologies for other mixtures.
• Transformation into thermal and electrical energy: thermochemical valorization: combined combustion with microcogeneration (organic Rankine cycle – ORC).
• Conversion into other value-added compounds and carrier liquids: methanol and ammonia.

Development of comprehensive strategies (building, facilities, renewable energy, management systems) for the decarbonization of cities and the achievement of PEB buildings, that is, buildings that produce more energy than they consume, thanks to sustainable construction and generating systems of clean energy. The main lines of research are:

• Hybridization of renewable energy production systems.
• Urban District Heating & Cooling systems.
• Energy storage and self-consumption systems.
• High-efficiency Cogeneration Systems.
• Thermal storage in phase change materials (PCM).
• New solutions and construction materials.
• Vernacular architecture strategies based on the building-climate interaction.
• Building thermal resilience.
• Advanced modeling and simulation of PEBs and development of pilot projects.
• Indoor air quality.
• Residential hydrogen generation and consumption systems.

EnergyLab’s main lines of research in the environment of energy communities focus on the development of:

• New management systems focused on the active control and monitoring of energy communities, both in the generation systems and the accumulation and demand of electrical and/or thermal energy from consuming facilities, with the aim of optimizing management and production.
• Management tools focused on the governance and administration of the energy community itself.
• Specific software for the implementation of intelligent DSF (Demand Side Flexibility) strategies.
• Renewable District Heating & Cooling (DH&C) systems.

Improvement of the energy performance of air conditioning and DHW production equipment based on electrically driven heat pump technology, through the following lines of work:

• New refrigerants.
• Use of sensible heat from refrigerant gas and residual heat.
• Improvement of the energy efficiency of compressors.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase energy efficiency and optimize the generation of thermal energy through the development and adaptation of regulation and control algorithms (such as GA, ANN, SVM), taking into account the most critical variables of the process (parameters of operation, refrigeration circuit expansion device, integration of renewable systems for electrical generation to drive the compressor and other consumption, etc.).
• Production of thermal energy at high temperature.
• Hybridization with other renewable thermal generation systems.

Use and improvement in the management of renewable energy generation sources through their transformation and conservation for subsequent use in air conditioning systems:

• Diabatic and adiabatic compressed air systems (CAES – Compressed Air Energy Storage).
• Batteries and other electrochemical systems.
• Molten salts and oils with high calorific capacities that store sensible heat by increasing or decreasing their temperature.
• PCM (phase change material) or phase change materials, which store latent heat to transfer the energy absorbed or released during their phase change.

Development of projects based on eco-innovation and the circular economy, with particular attention to the areas and applications considered key in the European Circular Economy Strategy, such as food waste, plastics, buildings, critical raw materials, etc.

Study of value chains and production models for the transformation of linear models towards the green and circular economy.

Design of products with environmental criteria to avoid or reduce their environmental impact before they are put on the market and at all stages of their useful life.

Support in the regulatory development of European public policies regarding the green economy and resource use (Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan, etc.).

Design of measurement, monitoring and follow-up procedures for circular economy, energy efficiency and industrial sustainability strategies using specific indicators appropriate to specific processes and economic sectors.

Standardization of procedures through the development of tools for the quantification, control and communication of environmental impacts.

Optimization of processes and activities from the point of view of energy and environmental efficiency, through the design and implementation of analysis and continuous improvement processes, management plans or integration of artificial intelligence systems.

Development of strategies and implementation of digital sustainability systems to guarantee the development and implementation of digital technologies in accordance with the objectives and requirements established for the ecological and energy transition at the European level.

Development of projects based on industrial symbiosis, the creation of markets for secondary raw materials and the promotion of prevention, reduction, repair, reuse and recycling strategies of products and materials related to key sectors, such as renewable energy, transport or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

Analysis and validation of new technologies for the use of waste or secondary raw materials.

Sustainability study of resource use strategies in the field of bioeconomy and energy transition.

Strategic collaboration with industrial sectors for the implementation of new technologies and innovative processes in terms of sustainability.