The INMA researcher Alodia Orera receives the Research Academy Award 2023 of the physics section of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical, Chemical and Natural Sciences of Zaragoza
The Royal Academy of Exact, Physical, Chemical and Natural Sciences of Zaragoza awards the researcher of the University of Zaragoza at tInstituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón, INMA, a joint institute of the CSIC and the University of Zaragoza, Ms. Alodia Orera Utrilla with the Research Academy Award 2023 in the physics section for her excellent scientific career.
Alodia Orera is Associate Professor in the Department of Science and Technology of Materials and Fluids at the School of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Zaragoza, as well as researcher at the Institute of Nanoscience and Materials of Aragon, INMA, of which she is part since 2010 within the research group “Processing and characterization of structural and functional ceramics (PROCACEF)”. His main lines of research focus on the study and development of new ceramic materials and devices for energy generation and storage applications, including fuel cells and solid oxide electrolysers, and batteries of different technologies. He is currently leading the research projects “Tubular high pressure solid oxide electrolysers (TUPEL)” and “Fast processing methods for solid state ionics energy devices (FASSION)” and holds various consultancy contracts with companies. She is the author of more than 56 scientific articles, 1 book chapter and 1 licensed patent, as well as the director of 4 doctoral theses.
During the extraordinary award ceremony, Alodia Orera will present her work on “Ceramics for a sustainable energy future”. In her speech, Orera will present the great challenge of coping with a growing demand for energy and also to do so in the most sustainable way possible, which translates into the need for decarbonisation of the energy sector (as an example, the European Green Pact that aims at a reduction of at least 55% of total greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and the desired CO2 neutrality by 2050). It is clear that in order to achieve this goal, the global energy system must undergo a profound transformation and rely on renewable energy sources and non-polluting energy carriers. In this scenario, hydrogen is the perfect clean energy carrier, serving as a feedstock, fuel or energy storage medium. Its implementation also offers an optimal solution for the decarbonisation of industrial processes, where reducing carbon emissions is urgent and difficult to achieve. The first step towards implementing the so-called the “hydrogen economy” is undoubtedly about achieving the capacity to produce hydrogen on a large scale and in a clean way. Water electrolysis makes it possible to use surplus electrical energy in situations of consumption valleys of constant energy sources such as nuclear energy, or in the production peaks of intermittent sources such as renewable energies for the production of so-called “green hydrogen”. In devices based on ceramic solid oxides, whether working in fuel cell or electrolyser mode, the use of high temperature provides advantages in terms of catalysis of chemical reactions and significant savings in electricity consumption in the electrolysis process, increasing its efficiency compared to other technologies. The talk will present some aspects of the future of hydrogen in the energy sector as well as current lines of research and development in high-temperature ceramic electrolyser technologies.
In addition to Alodia Orera Utrilla, Jorge Martín Morales, Ramón y Cajal Researcher at the University Institute of Mathematics and Applications (IUMA) of the University of Zaragoza for his work on “Counting points with Riemann-Roch formulas” received the prize in the Exact Sciences section.
The prize-giving ceremony will take place on Thursday, 30 November, at 19:00 in the Sala de Grados of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Zaragoza.
29-11-2023
