The increasing importance of energy storage grows in parallel with more ambitious decarbonization goals.The rising penetration of non-programmable renewable energy sources (RES) and the electrification of transportation pose challenges to the stability and flexibility of the power system, making it inevitable to adopt solutions that can store excess renewable energy for use where and when it is needed.

This project focuses on the technological development of electrochemical and electrical storage systems (batteries and supercapacitors), chemical storage or power-to-gas (production, distribution, and storage of natural gas and hydrogen), and thermal storage (storage of heat produced from renewable sources). The technological solutions developed here are primarily aimed at stationary storage, although some may find applications in transportation.

In fact, the development of innovative batteries aims to implement technological solutions that increase the specific capacity of active materials (and thus energy density, leading to lighter systems) and the number of charge and discharge cycles without losing specific capacity (thus extending the useful life). This is also achieved through the development of appropriate control systems that can adapt to second-life applications.

The chemical storage power-to-gas solutions examined in this project aim to efficiently generate methane (and hydrogen), improving the conversion efficiency from RES to fuel. This fuel, when injected into the grid, can be used in power generation systems, but also in transportation, such as vehicles powered by bio-methane or bio-hydrogen. The thermal storage solutions studied and developed in this project can also indirectly impact the electrical system. These solutions aim to be paired with renewable thermal energy sources, such as solar thermal, to directly utilize renewable sources for heat production and long-term storage, contributing to primary energy savings and easing the burden on the electrical grid in achieving decarbonization goals. For every solution developed, attention is given to ensuring maximum environmental and economic sustainability throughout the entire life cycle.