The ICMM and I²CNER host their first WPI Symposium 'Energy Materials for a Sustainable Future'

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The Madrid Institute of Materials Sciences (ICMM-CSIC) and the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I²CNER) at Kyushu University, Japan, hosted the WPI Symposium 'Energy Materials for a Sustainable Future', which took place in Madrid from November 11 to 13.

Held in the ICMM and ICV (Institute of Ceramics and Glass) facilities, the Symposium was conveived as a platform to foster research collaborations between both institutes. The joint event searched to catalyse lasting scientific connections between this two of these leading players in clean energy materials, with an emphasis on the global energy transition through research into advanced materials.

This first edition of the WPI Symposium covered a borad range of topics related to materials and technologies for energy: ionic and electrolyte systems, electrolyse and production of hidrogene, 2D materials and energy storage, photovoltaic energy, fuel cells and termal energy, batteries research or IA techonology for characterisation, among others cross-cutting issues about the future of energy.

Participants had the opportunity to learn about the most advanced research lines of research from both sides, establish contacts for future collaborations and discuss the two main pathways of energy transition: electrification and hydrogen.

70 attendants from eight institutions

With 27 researchers from Japan, 38 from Spain and participants from leading international institutions (Imperial College, PSI, Jülich), "the event has consolidated a robust and multidisciplinary research network focused on the clean energy challenges of the 21st century", says Ainara Aguadero, tenured scientist at ICMM and coordinator of the symposium, together with José Ángel Martín Gago, director of the ICMM.

The initiative of this congres was driven by them, together with Tatsumi Ishihara, I²CNER director, and John Kilner,  international expert in ionic conduction and surface analysis techniques belonging to the Imperial College London.

In total, the symposium attracted the attention of almost 70 people. 17 of them came from the Kyushu University/I²CNER, 7 from the Kumamoto University and other three camen from Institute of Science Tokyo. Besides, we were honoured to have the participation of other five researchers from the Imperial College London (UK), the Paul Scherrer Institut (Switzerland) and the Forschungszentrum Jülich (Germany). 

The event also featured poster sessions, visits to the ICMM laboratories and even a gala dinner at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. 

"The symposium successfully achieved its objective of creating a permanent forum for scientific collaboration between Spain and Japan in the field of energy materials", concludes Aguadero.