Project Listing

This research line tries to fill this gap, proposing the development of new approaches based on the combination of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA), including environmental, social and economic aspects; and MCDA tools. This combination aims to constitute a robust framework for assessing sustainability, monitoring the progress towards the SDGs and supporting an enhanced process of decision-making.
Four central activities are expected: 1) Development of an SDG-oriented LCSA approach; 2) Development of an MCDA framework; 3) Combination in a tool oriented towards decision-makers; 4) Application of the tool through a set of illustrative case studies.

The solar refinery is a novel concept in which the combustion gases generated in a thermal power plant, rich in CO2 and water vapour, are reused as raw material to produce fuels through processes activated by solar power. the aim of this research line is the development of materials for new thermochemical systems to produce syngas (CO+H2) by combined CO2/H2O splitting. The temperatures required for the process (1000-1500 °C) are reached by means of concentrating solar thermal energy systems.

Microalgae cultivation for CO2 capture. Biofuels production from renewable biomass: Biodiesel from microbial biomass (microalgae, cyanobacteria, fungus) through catalytic and biocatalytic processes; biogas by anaerobic digestion of microalgae and cyanobacteria; bio-oil by catalytic and non-catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction of microbial and other renewable biomass. Bioproducts production from microbial biomass.

This proposal is aligned to the current initiatives of the European Commission in the water-energy nexus, developing fundamental understanding and technologies in this field and its implementation in the European market. The main goal of this proposal is the design of new technological innovations to increase the energy efficiency for water disinfection processes to enhance resilience and to ensure safe drinking water, facing emerging challenges in water quality as the presence of diverse microcontaminants including antibiotics (ABs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in water sources. Antibiotic resistance is one of the most threating health issues nowadays. This project aims to approach this problem by including some advanced final-stage water treatments to further improve the removal of ABs and ARGs from discharged effluents. The use of photochemical water treatment processes based on the direct use of solar energy or indirect use to power up energy efficiency LED devices can be applied to ensure resilience in the provision of safe drinking water.