SPACER Project: International Collaboration in Energy Storage Research

How can we store energy more efficiently, reliably, and for longer periods of time? This question is at the heart of the international SPACER Doctoral Network, funded by the Horizon Europe programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The project started on 1 September 2025 and will run until 31 August 2029.

Doctoral Networks are prestigious European projects aimed at training a new generation of researchers through close collaboration between universities, research institutions, and industrial partners. The SPACER project brings together more than ten institutions across Europe and is coordinated by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany). The total EU contribution exceeds €4.4 million.

The project focuses on the development of advanced materials and methodologies for redox flow batteries (RFBs), a promising technology for long-duration energy storage. These systems can play a key role in stabilizing electricity grids based on renewable energy sources. The research contributes to major European priorities such as climate action, digital transformation, and sustainable energy technologies.

The Faculty of Chemical Engineering at UCT Prague is one of the project partners. As part of the project, doctoral candidate Theodora Kouvarati is working on the topic of reactivity and activation of electrodes. Her research focuses on the design and validation of electrochemical and physicochemical methods for characterizing carbon electrode materials, such as felts and papers, and on studying their activation and regeneration during battery operation.

The work also includes testing novel hierarchical electrode materials developed within the project and developing in situ electrochemical procedures for restoring catalytic activity during operation. By combining advanced experimental techniques, new materials, and a deeper understanding of electrode processes, the research aims to improve the performance and lifetime of redox flow batteries.

At UCT Prague, the project also involves Petr Mazur, who contributes to the development of methodologies for characterization and optimization of electrode materials within the international consortium.

Participation in the SPACER project enables not only cutting-edge research but also intensive international collaboration and knowledge exchange across Europe. The project thus represents an important step toward modern and sustainable energy storage technologies.