Universidad de Alcalá Resources, Recycling and Sustainability of Energy Systems
Research Group · Universidad de Alcalá

RRySES Resources, Recycling and Sustainability of Energy Systems

RRySES is dedicated to the quantitative sustainability assessment of energy and transport systems, combining life cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis and socio-economic impact evaluation.

Based at the Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Empresariales y Turismo Department of Economics · Socio-economic Impact Evaluation research group

About

Resources, Recycling and Sustainability of Energy Systems (RRySES)

RRySES brings together expertise in economics, technology assessment and industrial ecology to explore how energy and transport systems can be transformed towards climate neutrality while making efficient use of resources.

The group has a strong track record in life cycle assessment of low-carbon technologies, prospective assessment of emerging energy storage systems, and the evaluation of decarbonisation policies at different scales.

Methodologically, we combine process-based and hybrid LCA with prospective scenario analysis, techno-economic modelling and socio-economic impact evaluation to inform policy, industry and civil society.

Research focus

  • Sustainability assessment of electricity, heating and transport pathways
  • Environmental and resource implications of battery and hydrogen technologies
  • Design of circular value chains and recycling strategies for critical materials
  • Distributional and socio-economic impacts of decarbonisation policies
  • Methods for prospective and dynamic life cycle assessment

People

RRySES team

RRySES is a multidisciplinary team combining expertise in life cycle assessment, economics, policy evaluation and data science. The group works closely with national and international partners on batteries, energy systems and transport decarbonisation.

Portrait of Jens Peters

Jens F. Peters

Ramón y Cajal Researcher

Lead of RRySES. Focus on life cycle assessment of energy systems, environmental impact of batteries, recycling and circularity, and carbon footprint accounting under EU regulation.

Portrait of Alejandra Arévalo

Alejandra Arévalo

PhD student

Works on scaling and prospective life cycle assessment of emerging battery technologies, with a focus on sodium-ion batteries and future deployment scenarios.

Portrait of Mercedes Burguillo

Mercedes Burguillo

Associate Professor

Specialist in policy impact evaluation, energy poverty and social justice. Contributes econometric expertise and policy analysis to RRySES projects.

Portrait of Claudia Hidalgo

Claudia Hidalgo

Student assistant

Works on the social justice dimensions of vehicle electrification, combining impact evaluation methods with machine learning and data analysis.

Portrait of Karen Manríquez

Karen Manríquez

PhD student

Focuses on the socio-economic and distributional impacts of transport electrification in Spain, applying econometric and machine-learning approaches.

Portrait of Raquel Casasola

Raquel Casasola

Researcher

Works on life cycle assessment and recycling of emerging battery chemistries, including sodium-ion batteries, within the EPISODE project and related activities.

Portrait of Pablo del Río

Pablo del Río

External collaborator (CSIC)

Expert in econometrics, energy policy and policy evaluation. Collaborates with RRySES on the analysis of transport policies and decarbonisation measures.

Projects

Selected research themes and projects

RRySES contributes to national and international projects on the sustainability of emerging and established energy technologies. Below is a selection of current and recent research themes that illustrate the group's scope of work. Specific project titles and partners can be added here as the portfolio evolves.

Energy storage · Prospective LCA

Environmental performance of next-generation batteries

Prospective life cycle assessment of sodium-ion, lithium-ion and other emerging battery technologies, including scenarios for large-scale deployment and advanced recycling routes.

  • Batteries
  • Critical raw materials
  • Recycling
Power systems · Policy

Decarbonisation pathways for electricity and heat

Integrated environmental and economic assessment of power system decarbonisation pathways, considering hourly marginal electricity mixes, flexibility options and sector coupling.

  • Electricity systems
  • Marginal mixes
  • Climate policy
Transport · Fuels

Sustainable fuels and transport systems

Comparative assessment of low-carbon fuels and propulsion options for road and maritime transport, including bio-based fuels, e-fuels and electrification strategies.

  • Transport
  • Alternative fuels
  • Scenario analysis
Socio-economics · Circular economy

Socio-economic impacts of circular strategies

Evaluation of the employment, distributional and welfare impacts of circular economy strategies in energy and mobility, linking environmental indicators with socio-economic outcomes.

  • Circular economy
  • Distributional impacts
  • Policy evaluation