The XRE4S Network organises an event to discuss about technology transfer and innovation in energy

by Virginia Greco

Three researchers from the ICN2 presented their projects in this meeting dedicated to industrial research and technology transfer in the field of green energy and sustainability.

On June 21, the XRE4S Network held an event dedicated to the transfer and innovation ecosystem in Catalonia in the energy field at the Casa de la Convalecència-UAB, a gathering organised in collaboration with IREC and the TransHEner2 project. The event was opened by a welcome by the director of the Network and head of CD&KTT at IREC, Marta Fonrodona.

Representative of various local institution introduced their initiatives meant to promote collaborative projects in industrial research, pilots and/or proofs of concept. Bàrbara Pons, Commissioner for Agenda 2030 at Barcelona City Council, talked about the Barcelona Innovation Coast; Jordi Alba, executive director of the Industrial Doctorates Plan and head of project development and academic programmes at the Department of Research and Universities, presented the industrial doctorates; and Nadal Bayà, head of the knowledge transfer area at AGAUR, discussed the AGAUR transfer programmes.

The PRIMA project was also introduced by Business Manager Ramon Jané (IREC). PRIMA is a platform for testing and demonstration in real environments of energy technologies and new solutions and products in the phase prior to their introduction on the market.

Following, innovative technologies from the energy ecosystem and the XRE4S network were presented. In particular:

Lorenzo Vallan (Nanostructured Functional Materials Group, ICN2), Light-responsive coatings with transparency modulation for smart windows;
Miquel Casademont (ICMAB-CSIC), SOLES: Spectrum On demand Light Source for advanced photovoltaic characterization;
Sohini Sinha (Nanostructured Functional Materials Group, ICN2), Self-regulating smart windows for energy savings application;
Albert Castell (UdL), Radiative Collector and Emitter;
Marc Torrell (IREC), 3D Printing Solid Oxide Fuel Cells;
Mar Tristán (ICMAB-CSIC), Colloidal inks for superconductors (HTS-INKS);
Amador Pérez (Advanced Electronic Materials and Devices Group, ICN2), LightNet.

Finally, Marta Fonrodona chaired a round table on innovation financing with David Domingo, The Collider Business Development Manager (Mobile World Capital Barcelona), Robert Mas Santana, angel investor and partner (Spin-Off Partners) and Sébastien Lefebvre, Partner (Elaia Partners).