ReMeF Symposium

3rd MeCRERenewable Metal Fuels

The ReMeF Symposium and 3rd MeCRE, supported by the EU Horizon Europe project REVEAL, was a gateway to the future of sustainable energy. This groundbreaking two-day event took place in Switzerland, hosted by the University of Applied Sciences OST, and brought together 130 participants to explore the revolutionary potential of Renewable Metal Fuels.

Key Topics

Discover how renewable metal fuels are reshaping energy storage systems by offering sustainable and efficient solutions for a renewable future.

Innovations in Energy Storage

Learn how metals like aluminium and iron are utilized to store and release energy efficiently, creating a closed-loop, eco-friendly system.

Sustainable Energy Solutions

Explore how ReMeF is driving the transition to carbon-free energy and meeting the demand for sustainable power worldwide.

Future of Clean Energy

This cutting-edge field promised to accelerate the global transition to clean energy, tackle energy storage challenges, and pave the way for a carbon-free future. Renewable Metal Fuels represented a novel approach to energy storage and transport - metals such as aluminium and iron stored large amounts of renewable energy and released it on demand through reactions with oxygen or water. These reactions produced environmentally friendly and highly recyclable by-products, enabling a sustainable, scalable, and carbon-free energy cycle. Thanks to their high energy density, cost-effectiveness, and minimal environmental impact, these fuels offered a promising alternative to conventional batteries and Power-to-X technologies. 

During the symposium, leading scientists and experts converged to share pioneering insights into this emerging field. Discussions focused on how Renewable Metal Fuels could overcome the energy storage barriers that stood in the way of a fully renewable energy system and the achievement of global climate targets, including the Energy Strategy 2050. Check out the gallery along with the presentations and posters from our speakers below.

GALLERY

DAY 1

Speakers Presentation

DAY 2

Speakers Presentation

Metal to Energy - H2 from Aluminium

Keena A. Trowell, Ph.D.

McMaster University, Canada

The Fundamentals of Supercritical Metal-Water Reactions

Dr. Miren Agote Arán

OST, Switzerland

Low Temperature Aluminium-Water Reactions

Assist prof. Ivan Jerman Ph.D

National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia

Aluminium Reaction with Steam

Prof. Linda Barelli

Università degli Studi di Perugia, Italy

Aluminium Steam Oxidation for Hydrogen Production

Metal to Energy - Al Combustion and Metal Fuel Cells

Prof. Fabien Halter

Université dʼOrléans, France

Aluminium and Magnesium Combustion for Energetic Use

Prof. Li Zhongshan

Lund University, Sweden

In Situ Optical Diagnostics of Combustion of Aluminum Droplets in Steam

Prof. Dr. Stefano Passerini

Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Germany

Aqueous and not-Aqueous Aluminum Batteries

Clean Power to Aluminium

René von Känel

KAN-NAK, Switzerland

Clean Aluminium Production - Overview and Challenges

Daníel Þór Gunnarsson

IceTec, Iceland

Inert Electrodes for Aluminium Smelting

Dr. Samuel Senanu

SINTEF Industry, Norway

Recycling of Aluminium Hydroxide to Smelter Grade Alumina

The Iron Cycle

Jannik Neumann

TU Darmstadt, Germany

A No-Regret Application for Renewable Iron – A Thermodynamic Analysis of Repurposing Coal Power Plants

Assi. Prof. Giulia Finotello

TU Eindhoven, Netherlands

An Overview of the Iron Fuel Cycle: a Focus on Reduction and Cyclability

Ass. Prof. Dr. Jan Eisbacher-Lubensky

Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria

Direct Reduction of Iron Ore with Hydrogen: Potential and Challenges

Keynotes on Overview Systems and Applications

Prof. Jeffrey Bergthorson

McGill University, Canada

Overview on Renewable Metal Fuels and their Applications

Prof. Christian Hasse

TU Darmstadt, Germany

Green Iron as Recyclable Carrier of Renewable Energy – Opportunities and Challenges

Demonstrations and State of the Art: Power-to-Metal

Mart Voermans

RIFT, Netherlands

Direct Reduction of Iron with Hydrogen: Advances and Insights from RIFT’s Pilot Plant

Dr. Rauan Meirbekova

IceTec, Iceland

CO2-Free Aluminium

Demonstrations of Metal-to-Energy and Techno-Economics

MSc Stijn van Aken

Metalot, TU Eindhoven, Netherlands

Iron-to-Energy: MW-Scale Iron Energy Cycles

Yvonne Isabell Baeuerle

OST, Switzerland

PeakMetal: Covering Peak Energy Demand in the Cold Season Based on Metal-to-Energy

Ariel Jackson

Found Energy, USA

Continuous kW-Scale Power Production
from Aluminium Fuel

Zhiyuan Fan

ETH Zürich, Switzerland

Iron Oxide for Long Duration Energy Storage - From the Lab to 100 MWh Systems

Podium Discussions

Dr. Stefan Oberholzer

Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Switzerland

Prof. Jeffrey Bergthorson

McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Dr. Keena Trowell

McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

Prof. Christian Hasse

TU Darmstadt, Germany

Ass. Prof. Giulia Finotello

TU Eindhoven, Netherlands

PosTER Session

During the ReMeF Symposium, scientific posters on Renewable Metal Fuels were showcased, sparking lively discussions and knowledge exchange among attendees. Participants had the opportunity to vote for their favourite poster, and Ana Drinčić, a researcher from the REVEAL project at Kemijski inštitut – National Institute of Chemistry, won the first-place award for her outstanding work.