Research & Innovation
Batteries and Electrification
The Battery and Electrification Technologies (BET) unit of Center for Sustainable Energy aims to develop and innovate technologies at the core of our electrification and decarbonisation efforts such as novel battery technologies and smart energy management systems, also studying the optimal solutions to integrate RES and energy storage in power grids, mobility applications and industries
The BET Unit of Center for Sustainable Energy is involved in all of these topics with the mission to develop and innovate technologies at the core of our electrification and decarbonisation efforts such as battery technologies and energy management systems, also studying the optimal solutions to integrate RES and energy storage in power grids, mobility applications and industries
Applications
Stationary
Mobility
The BET Unit is organised in four Research Areas each covering several applications and technologies:
Discover and engineer next‑generation battery chemistries and interfaces
Advanced cathode / anode / electrolyte materials
Interface engineering (SEI/CEI)
Advanced characterization
Sustainable, low‑CRM chemistries
Transform advanced materials into manufacturable, high‑performance and safe cells
Cell design & prototyping
Aging & safety testing
Multiscale modeling
Scalable industrialization pathways
Engineer intelligent, safe, and efficient battery systems
Battery system models & digital twins
Thermal & safety management
Pack design & integration
Enable large‑scale electrification of mobility and energy systems
Energy storage integration & flexibility services
Power system digitalisation and AI
Sector coupling
Expertise
The above mentioned technologies are investigated from different sides and areas of expertise such as:
We develop novel materials for batteries such as composite solid state electrolytes, cathodes for Li-ion batteries, electrolytes for redox flow batteries and analyse them with chemical, physical and electrical methods to understand aging mechanisms and improve their performances.
We perform techno-economic analyses for different types of storage technologies in different use cases applying advanced simulation tools integrating multi-timeframe multi-objective optimisation.
We study power systems and work on advanced digital solutions for power networks including tools for state estimation, forecasting algorithms and foundation models for grids.
Marcin Buchajczyk, Saman Korjani, Mattia Duranti, Amir Naebi Toutounchi, Duarte Conde de Melo Freitas da Silva, Edoardo Gino Macchi, Dual-timeframe optimisation of hybrid salt-based battery–supercapacitor systems — A techno-economic sizing framework, Journal of Energy Storage, Volume 154, Part B, 2026, 121347, ISSN 2352-152X, DOI: 10.1016/j.est.2026.121347.
Groiss, E.M., Duranti, M., Morais, W.G., Fedel, M., Macchi, E.G. (2025). Iron-glycine precipitation-free electrolyte for aqueous redox flow batteries, Electrochimica Acta, Volume 530, 146387, ISSN 0013-4686, DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2025.146387
Salimi, P.; Gottardi, G.; Morais, W.G.; Bartali, R.; Laidani, N.; Macchi, E.G. (2024). Improving Lithium-Ion Battery Performance: Nano Al2O3 Coatings on High-Mass Loading LiFePO4 Cathodes via Atomic Layer Deposition. Batteries 2024, 10, 304. DOI: 10.3390/batteries10090304
Shiea, M., Crema, L., Macchi, E.G. (2024). Modelling of the leaching process by the extended quadrature method of moments, Chemical Engineering Science, Volume 292, 119987, ISSN 0009-2509, DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2024.119987
M. Buchajczyk, S. Korjani, M. Duranti and E. G. Macchi. (2024). Techno-Economic Analysis and Sizing of RFB and Supercapacitor-Based HESS for an EV Charging Station, AEIT International Annual Conference (AEIT), Trento, Italy, 2024, pp. 1-6. Conference proceedings. DOI: 10.23919/AEIT63317.2024.10736734
Bello, A., Franzinelli, A., Colaone, F. , Di Marco, N., Macchi, E.G, et. al. (2022). Optimal Integration of Non-Dispatchable RES in OSMOSE FlexEnergy Market. 18th International Conference on the European Energy Market (EEM), Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2022, pp. 1-6, DOI: 10.1109/EEM54602.2022.9921067
Di Florio, G., Macchi, E.G., Mongibello, L., Baratto, M.C., Basosi, R., Busi, E., Caliano, M., Cigolotti, V., Testi, M., Trini, M. (2021). Comparative life cycle assessment of two different SOFC-based cogeneration systems with thermal energy storage integrated into a single-family house nanogrid, Applied Energy, Volume 285, 116378, ISSN 0306-2619, DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.116378
Mattia Duranti et al. (2020). Equilibrium properties of a bromine-bromide electrolyte for flow batteries. Journal of Electrochemical Society, 167, 100523.
DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/ab98a7
Projects
The Center is involved in numerous European programmes, and has a strong experience in coordination of projects and is involved in well-known sectorial associations as BEPA | Batteries European Partnership Association, Batteries Europe and BRIDGE.
