Renewable and clean energy systems

We create sustainable cooling solutions using innovative electrocaloric materials that change temperature with voltage. We are optimizing ceramics and polymers, building prototypes, and working with industry to apply this technology to vaccine transport, electric vehicle batteries, data centers, and advanced low-temperature applications like quantum computing.

We design advanced electrocatalysts, photocatalysts, and plasma-compatible catalysts to transform low-energy molecules like CO₂ and N₂ into value-added fuels and chemicals. Our work includes optimizing catalyst performance, integrating them into real-world systems, and pioneering innovative materials for hydrogen generation and efficient industrial chemical processes.

We develop next-generation solutions for clean energy, from advanced photovoltaic and wind-harvesting materials to polymeric and particulate energy harvesters. We are building wave-energy buoys and innovating pyroelectric systems to convert waste heat into electricity, partnering with industry to bring these technologies to real-world applications.

We design high-performance polymers, membranes, and nanocomposites for batteries and supercapacitors, focusing on thermal and mechanical efficiency. Our research explores battery interfaces, lithium-ion behaviour, and hydrogen-material interactions, while creating robust, scalable solutions for safer, longer-lasting, and sustainable energy storage systems.

We create advanced analytical tools to accelerate energy storage and conversion, from multimodal 2D/3D imaging of battery interfaces to high-resolution laser diagnostics for plasma systems. These instruments bridge lab and industrial applications, enabling breakthroughs in materials characterization, nuclear fusion optimization, and energy technologies of the future.

We design high-performance materials and components for power electronics, actuators, and converters, enhancing efficiency, robustness, and power density in applications from grids to aerospace. We also develop AI-driven control strategies, digital twins, and integrated energy platforms to enable scalable, adaptive, and user-driven energy systems.

We evaluate the full lifecycle of renewable energy systems to ensure they genuinely cut emissions and reduce environmental and social impacts. We are strengthening data and methods for time-dependent impact assessment, uncertainty analysis, and cross-country comparisons, with a special focus on critical materials in energy storage and generation. Our open-source Python tool shrecc already provides hourly, country-specific electricity impact data; the next step is an online dashboard that lets users easily compare high-resolution electricity mixes and design cleaner, more efficient energy-intensive products.