i-STENTORE | EC/HE/101096787

[2023-2025]

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i-STENTORE will examine the integration of diverse storage solutions and their combinations. Innovative storage systems will be showcased and their co-operation with the integrated assets will be co-optimized, placing the reliability, the power quality, the cost efficient operation and the maximization of the assets’ lifetime as end-goals. i-STENTORE will introduce an umbrella framework aiming to showcase stand-alone and hybrid storage solutions highlighting the multi-purpose use of storage, not only as an energy buffer, but also as an active grid component capable of providing services and contributing to grid resilience, stability and efficient operation. The main goals of VG CoLAB are: 1) Demonstration of innovative storage technologies which go beyond the state-of-the-art of existing storage solutions in respect of sustainability, technical performance, lifetime, non-dependency on geographical location particularities and cost. 2) Increased availability, robustness, and safety, of sustainable and efficient choices for energy storage to reduce energy losses and improve the environmental footprint of the energy system.

NGS - New Generation Storage | C644936001-00000045

[2022-2025]

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The NGS agenda contributes to the creation of a new sustainable technology value chain in complement to the national lithium exploration logistic chain. Hence, the main objective is focused on the manufacturing and sustainable recycling of batteries for electric mobility. The idea is structured in 7 different strategic pillars and 22 projects, covering the full battery value chain (from lithium refinery to recycling/second life of this storage technology), aiming to develop a new industrial cluster for the sustainable manufacturing and recycling of batteries. VG CoLAB is responsible for the development and demonstration of innovative storage solutions with a focus on increased system efficiency, flexibility, modularity and reconfigurability factor.

CVB - Cadeia de Valor das Baterias em Portugal | C644864613-00000003

[2022-2025]

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The CVB agenda aims to create roots in Portugal for a battery value chain, including mining, refining, battery assembly and circularity of materials, subproducts and waste. With the implementation of the battery value chain, Portugal will become the fifth largest world producer of lithium and the first country in Europe to operate a processing refinery for this mineral, assuring the production and exportation of spodumene concentrates, lithium hydroxide, and batteries. These products are in strong demand at the global scale, due in part to the growing interest of the automobile industry in electric vehicle production, in accordance with the paradigm of electric mobility and the energy transition. The CVB agenda will provide a strong contribution to the structural transformation of the Portuguese economy, via its empowerment of the production of transactional goods of high world demand with high added value. VG CoLAB is responsible for the production of sodium-ion batteries and the scale up of industrial processes.

IRONFLOW | 2022.04589.PTDC

[2023-2026]

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The intermittent nature of large-scale renewable energy sources implies the implementation of reliable energy storage systems. Aqueous redox flow batteries (ARFBs) are an attractive solution due to their safety, decoupled power and capacity, and prolonged service lifetime.
The most established ARFBs are based on vanadium (VRFBs) with low energy densities and significant environmental impacts, due to the use of vanadium (critical material). Therefore, there is a urgent need for the development of new environmentally friendly and safe electrolytes. Iron-based chemistries have attracted significant attention due to their eco-friendliness, vast availability, and low cost of Fe. This project aims the development of sustainable and effective Fe-based RFB, seeking to solve the issues associated with IRFB capacity loss. VG CoLAB will develop a deep optimization of positive and negative electrolytes based in Fe-based complexes, improving battery capacity, solubility and stability.

HYDES | PTDC/EQU-EQU/4893/2021

[2022-2024]

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Today, one of the main society challenges is centered in the efficient use of energy, to reach carbon neutrality and overall improvement of climate resilience. To tackle these goals, the share of renewable energies in the grid is expected to rise significantly, backed by a strong political agenda such as the Paris Agreement and other national and European development goals, which raises new challenges related to grid’s power fluctuation. Hence, innovative solutions for energy storage systems, such as batteries and supercapacitors (SCs), play a key role in efficient energy supply. The HYDES project aims to develop a new class of supercapacitors (SCs) using novel deep eutectic solvent (DESs) as electrolyte.

ASAPFuels | PTDC/EQU‐EQU/4225/2021

[2022-2025]

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The aim of this project is to produce liquid electrochemical fuels, an emerging energy vector, through direct and efficient solar energy conversion and storage using a solar redox flow cell (SRFC). Solar redox flow cell (SRFC) displays the several advantages compared with other photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices: i) the redox energy levels of the electrolytes can be tuned to fit the energy levels of the photoabsorber, rendering the system more efficient; ii) non-aqueous based electrolytes can be used to improve the stability and the stored energy density; iii) allows the simultaneous conversion of sunlight to an electrochemical fuel and to thermal energy, with the potential for covering the daily cycle and inter-seasons energy needs; and iv) the electrochemical fuel-to-electricity efficiency is much higher when compared e.g. with H₂ at a proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). These ambitious goals can be achieved by introducing new and unconventional inorganic redox pairs, such as poIyoxometaIates, and non-aqueous based electrolytes, such as dialkylsufones and triarylamines, which result in four times the storage capacity of conventional all-vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB).

Contratação de Recursos Humanos Altamente Qualificados | NORTE-06-3559-FSE-000182

​[2020-2023] ​

Vasco da Gama CoLAB aims at contributing to the implementation of the European energy transition agendas: electrochemical energy storage, power electronics conversion and intelligent energy management. VG CoLAB has as its main goals the development of technologies related to electrochemical energy storage in particular redox flow batteries and supercapacitors, power electronics and energy management. VG CoLAB aims to promote the Portuguese economy by developing, producing and commercializing internationally energy storage technologies. Alongside, VG CoLAB will employ highly qualified human resources, contributing to attracting and securing talent in Portugal.