The SusMatEner Project: sustainable materials for the energy sector

Coordinated by the University of Bordeaux, the SusMatEner project brings together five academic partners, including Grenoble INP - UGA, alongside several major industrial partners. The academic partners include renowned universities and research centres in Bordeaux, Louvain, Darmstadt, Lisbon, and of course Grenoble. This project with a budget of €3 million will finance fifteen jointly supervised theses, five of which will directly involve Grenoble INP - UGA. “The project’s main goal is to pursue a sustainable approach to energy by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the material optimization process,” says Daniel Bellet, a researcher at LMGP.*

Machine learning and deep learning enable the design of custom materials that are not only optimised in terms of their physical and chemical properties, but also to minimize their environmental footprint. This innovative approach integrates reflection on the life cycle of materials right from the start. This is essential in ensuring their durability.

SusMatEner focuses on several key research areas. These include the design of copper-based materials for photovoltaic applications to replace silver, since the sector currently accounts for 10 to 12% of current production. The need for more sustainable alternatives is all the more urgent in light of the expected fifteen to thirty-fold increase in photovoltaic production over the next 20 years. The project will also develop 2D materials (monoatomic thickness) for photovoltaics and electrochemical storage, both areas in which Grenoble INP plays a key role. The project will carry out work at several of the school’s laboratories, including LMGP,* SIMaP** and G-SCOP.**

In addition to research, the SusMatEner project aims to train the next generation of researchers. A doctoral school is expected to open in March 2027 to provide the PhD students with training on these new materials and the integrated approach to sustainability for the energy sector.

This project combining technology and sustainability principles will result in a significant step forward in materials research in the field of renewable energy. It responds to urgent needs while also developing innovative perspectives for the future.