ReMeF Symposium
3rd MeCRE│Renewable 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
ABOUT
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
DAY 2
ReMeF SYMPOSIUM in ShortS
Day 1 & 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.
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![Research poster titled 'Surplus renewable energy potential for aluminum-based seasonal storage that can contribute to grid reliability,' featuring charts, graphs, and diagrams explaining methodology, results, and conclusions of a scientific study.]()
Ana Drinčić
National Institute of Chemistry | SLOVENIA
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![Research poster titled 'CO2-Free Aluminum Production Research at IceTec', discussing sustainable aluminum production methods, electrolysis processes, and collaborative projects with Reykjavik University. Includes diagrams, test photos, and references.]()
Daniel Gunnarsson
IceTec | ICELAND
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![Scientific research poster titled "Metal fuels reacting in oxy-fuel flue gas mixtures" with sections on motivation, experimental setup, results, discussion, and future work, including images, graphs, and diagrams.]()
David Tarlinski
Ruhr-University Bochum | GERMANY
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![Scientific research poster on energy storage systems with charts and diagrams of data]()
Eline Willems
PRé Sustainability | NETHERLANDS
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![Research poster on life cycle aspects of primary aluminum-air batteries for long-term energy storage, with sections on methodology, results, and conclusions, including charts and organization logos.]()
Hüseyin Ersoy
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | GERMANY
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![Scientific research paper titled "What are the advantages, disadvantages, raw materials and niche markets of aluminium as ship fuel?" from Lund University, Sweden, including an introduction, advantages and disadvantages, raw materials, and niche markets sections with text and an image of a futuristic ship powered by aluminum fuel.]()
Joakim Haraldsson
Lund University | SWEDEN
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![Scientific research poster on investigating aluminum as a metal fuel for water oxidation, including methodology, results, and conclusion sections with images, charts, and diagrams.]()
Muhammad Zahid
National Institute of Chemistry | SLOVENIA
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![A scientific poster titled 'A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Aluminum-Based Power Generation to Decarbonize Remote Industries' showing graphs, charts, and diagrams related to aluminum production, electricity generation, and environmental impacts.]()
Marzie Karimi
McGill University | CANADA
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![Scientific research poster titled 'From Aluminium to Power: How Metals are a Breakthrough in Energy Storage,' discussing aluminium's role in energy storage, low pressures, reaction products, alternative fuels, high pressures, and references.]()
Nigel Willy Van de Velde
National Institute of Chemistry | SLOVENIA
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![Scientific research paper titled "Aluminum-steam reaction in a swirled stabilized flame: a new way for hydrogen production" with diagrams, images, and text discussing experimental setup and results on hydrogen production using aluminum and steam.]()
Norbert Windhab
Energy13 GmbH | GERMANY
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![An infographic summarizing the support of NGOs for renewable metal fuels for net-zero transition, including diagrams, key questions, and conclusions.]()
Stefan Lahres
Klimaentscheid Aalen | GERMANY
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![Informational poster on seasonal energy storage with renewable metal fuels, featuring diagrams of energy cycle, benefits, challenges, and Swiss energy scenario projections.]()
Yvonne Baeuerle
Institute for Solar Technology | SWITZERLAND
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![Research poster on renewable metal fuels for greenhouses, featuring logos, text, diagrams, a photo of a greenhouse, and a graph about energy requirements.]()
Marian Velcea
USAMV Bucharest | ROMANIA
Awards
The ReMeF Symposium honoured outstanding achievements with four prestigious awards:
Ana Drinčić (Kemijski inštitut – National Institute of Chemistry) and Ashley Bock (McGill University) received the Best Poster Award for their exceptional research contributions.
René Von Kaenel was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Aluminium Industry for his lasting impact on the field.
Jón Hjaltalín Magnússon (Arctus Aluminium) was awarded the Pioneering in Renewable Metal Fuels Innovation Award, recognising his groundbreaking work in sustainable energy solutions.
Congratulations to all the awardees for their remarkable accomplishments!
