Our institution
Founded in 1993, the University of Almería (UAL) is a dynamic and modern public institution located on the Mediterranean coast, actively contributing to the European Research Area through international collaboration. Our research community comprises 1,041 professionals and 144 recognized research groups, all committed to excellence, social impact, and high-level knowledge transfer.
UAL is internationally recognized for its leadership in strategic sectors, ranking in the Top 151-200 of the Shanghai Ranking (GRAS) in fields such as Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology, and Nursing. Our research capabilities are centralized in 12 Specialized Research Centers.
UAL holds a strong international vocation and a solid track record in international research programs (H2020, Horizon Europe) and academic cooperation (Erasmus+ KA2), currently managing 46 active international projects as both a partner and coordinator. We take pride in our leadership capacity, having coordinated 9 Horizon Europe Pillar II proposals and heading large-scale initiatives such as the LIFE ACCLIMATE project, and the EU Reference Laboratories (EURL) network. Moreover, UAL is the Coordinator of UNIgreen, the Green European University—a European Alliance of 8 institutions dedicated to sustainable agriculture and biotechnology.
Our office provides "end-to-end" personalized advice, from the proposal writing phase (including technical reviews) to financial management and final reporting.
The Centre / Research Group
The research group ‘Coordination, Organometallic and Photochemical Chemistry’ (Andalucian ref.: FQM-317) was established in 2000 at the University of Almería (UAL) by Prof. Antonio Manuel Romerosa-Nievas, who has led it ever since. The group is constituted by 6 permanent researchers and a significant number of PhD, Master's, and degree students. The name of the group encompasses the research lines in which the investigation is performed, focusing on. coordination/ organometallic chemistry in water; bioinorganic chemistry; photochemistry; homogeneous catalysis; heteropolymetallic compounds; carborane derivatives; white phosphorus activation. In addition, the group has a long-standing relationship with regional companies to develop solutions for the natural stone industry.
The group is a founding member of the CIESOL (Solar Research Centre), which is an institute devoted to studying the use of solar energy. The group has participated in Andalucian, Spanish, and internationally funded research projects (>70). It has published articles in international journals in the fields of Inorganic, Catalysis, Materials, and Multidisciplinary Chemistry (Angew. Chem., JACS, ACS cat., Inorg. Chem., etc) (>250) and has participated in and organised numerous national and international conferences (>25). Additionally, the team is involved in the formation of predoctoral students (> 25 PhD), receiving postdoctoral and degree students from European programs, and participating in numerous social transfer events such as the European Near of the Research, Crystallography Awards, etc.
The Project
Fossil fuels, from oil to natural gas, provide around 80% of the energy currently consumed worldwide, a percentage that increases with population growth and the level of industrialization in less developed countries. Oil represents the largest primary energy resource (32.5%), followed by coal (26.7%) and natural gas (23.1%) [IEA World Energy Balances https://www.iea.org/]
Furthermore, the use of hydrocarbons leads to an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is causing global warming, but also additional toxic pollutants that generate significant health problems [Cardiovasc. Res. 2020, 116, 1910-1917]. Therefore, reducing and eliminating the consumption of fossil fuels is of paramount importance if we want future generations to be able to live on our planet [https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels].
From the perspective of a circular green economy, hydrogen is a valuable energy source due to its high gravimetric energy (120 MJ·kg-1), and especially because its combustion with oxygen produces only water vapor. However, numerous technical challenges prevent it from becoming a practical alternative to fossil fuels, such as how to storing it with low energy costs.
To address these challenges, this project aims to develop methods for generating and storing hydrogen using solar-activated heterometallic complexes, representing an efficient and practical process with the potential for industrial application. If successful, the developed system would be valid for a multitude of applications in products, operations, methods, or systems.
Research Areas
- Chemistry (CHE);
- Environment and Geosciences (ENV)
To ensure a comprehensive evaluation of your application, interested candidates are kindly requested to submit the following documentation directly to Professor Antonio Manuel Romerosa-Nievas. Please ensure all files are provided in English to facilitate the review process:
- CV
- Letter of recommendation (optional)
