The Repsol Foundation and the Universidad Carlos III present a new Education and Research Program on Renewable Fuels

• Repsol chairman, Antonio Brufau and the rector of the Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, Ángel Arias, have presented a new Education and Research Program on Renewable Fuels at the University's Puerta de Toledo Campus.
• Antonio Brufau emphasized that "the creation of this education and research program has special significance, not only because of the need to support and strengthen rigorous, scientific debate on energy and the energy transition, but also because of the importance of the collaboration between industry and academia in addressing the challenges of the energy transition."
• Ángel Arias has pointed out that the public university must foster "a multicultural community focused on the major challenges facing today's world, establishing partnerships with key players at the local, national, and global levels."
• The presentation of the Education and Research Program took place within the framework of the conference “Renewable fuels, a pillar for decarbonization and energy sustainability”.
• This is a new edition to the Repsol Foundation’s Education and Research Programs and aims to promote greater knowledge about renewable fuels to contribute to a future with net-zero emissions.

The Repsol Foundation has a network of Education and Research Programs at leading universities focused on topics such as sustainable mobility, decarbonization of industry and cities, hydrogen, the circular economy, CO2 capture and utilization, and renewable fuels.

Today, the Repsol Foundation and the Universidad Carlos III in Madrid presented a new Education and Research Program that focuses on research and the development of renewable fuels to contribute to a net-zero emissions future and to foster greater knowledge about sustainable alternatives.

This Education and Research Program seeks to offer a space for dissemination, research, and debate to address recent advances in carbon-neutral fuel production technologies; their development potential, current technological and economic barriers, research opportunities, and the policies and regulations required to foster the development of renewable fuels.

The Education and Research Program is directed by Antonio Soria and Andrés Anca, professor and tenured professor at the Universidad Carlos III, respectively.

The main areas of research are renewable fuels and their evolution, advanced biofuels, and synthetic fuels or e-fuels. Furthermore, a Renewable Fuels Observatory will be established in which a scientific and technological analysis of the Education and Research Program’s lines of knowledge will be carried out.

Renewable fuels, a pillar for decarbonization and energy sustainability

The presentation of the Education and Research Program took place within the framework of the conference “Renewable fuels, a pillar for decarbonization and energy sustainability” at the Universidad Carlos III in Madrid’s Puerta de Toledo Campus. The event was presided by Antonio Brufau, Repsol chairman, and Ángel Arias, rector of the Universidad Carlos III.

In his opening speech, the Repsol chairman highlighted the importance of “bringing research, science, and universities closer to industry and it being vital to advance and make the transition towards a decarbonized economy possible.”

Brufau has referred to the Draghi Report in which he points out that Europe must respect and support all technologies that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this sense, the Repsol chairman has pointed out that “there is no single solution. All solutions and technologies are necessary. We cannot afford to discard any. We have the necessary skills and strengths. But we must do so with common sense, with coherent regulatory policies, with technology, with science, and with initiatives like this Education and Research Program that begins today."

Ángel Arias stated that the university must be “committed to the environment and the Sustainable Development Goals”. Regarding the Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, he noted that it is "committed to promoting environmental sustainability, embracing global interdisciplinary agendas for knowledge." Finally, he thanked Repsol for joining “this important research for its strategic potential in favor of knowledge for the benefit of society” and he valued “the necessary collaboration between institutions and companies to establish knowledge partnerships with universities, with the aim of promoting a positive transformation of Europe.”

The session continued with the dialog “The role of the university in research and raising awareness about renewable fuels.” between the two co-directors of the Education and Research Program, Antonio Soria and Andrés Anca, in which they addressed its main lines of research.

The event also featured a speech by Magda Kopczynska, Director-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, who addressed the keys to a sustainable future and the importance of researching carbon-neutral fuels to achieve it.

During the conference, a round table discussion was held on “The future of carbon-neutral fuels: innovation and sustainability” with the participation of Adriana Orejas, director of industrial transformation at Repsol Technology Lab; Eric van den Heuvel, executive committee technical coordinator of the International Energy Agency Bioenergy program; Walter Haslinger; CEO of BEST; and Mónica de la Cruz, managing director of CRECEMOS.

Finally the conference ended with an address from Valero Marín, Executive Managing Director of Client at Repsol.