Dr. Antonio Dominguez-Ramos completed his chemical engineering degree in 2005 at the Universidad de Cantabria, Santander (Spain). Five years later, he defended his PhD thesis in Chemical Engineering in the same university under the supervision of Prof. A. Irabien, head of the DePRO research group, and Dr. Rubén Aldaco. The title of the thesis was “Photovoltaic Solar Electro-Oxidation (PSEO) of organic polluted wastewater” which was graduated cum laude. As a result, a Spanish patent was filled within the Sostaqua project headed by Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona. Up today, he has completed three abroad research stays in University of Stuttgart (2008), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (2013), and Imperial College London (2015). As a result, he has published 14 articles in high-ranked journals (current h-index=8) and more than 50 communications to national and international congresses. Since 2009, he was involved in teaching activities in the chemical engineering degree with fundamental courses on mass and energy balances, industrial environmental sustainability and life cycle assessment. Since three years ago, he is in charge of the Chemical Engineering Master Internship Programme.
The search for more sustainable consumption and production patterns requires the use of methodological tools such as Life Cycle Assessment in order to provide a full picture throughout the whole supply chain. Integration of photovoltaic solar energy in electrochemical based production processes is suggested to play a key role in the years to come thus climate change burdens could be properly alleviated.
The aim of the research is to analyze, model, simulate and optimize engineering processes in order to determine the environmental sustainability of each available option versus conventional options in the whole supply chain under a multi-scale approach taking into account the life cycle considerations. This way, research trends can be suggested according to the quantification of specific technology targets and/or metrics dedicated for end-users, while boosting innovation and strengthening competitiveness. Case studies includes: 1) the utilization of carbon dioxide as raw material for formate based products by electrochemical reduction; 2) circular integrated solid waste management with regional boundaries; and 3) utilization of brine/brackish waters by electrodialysis with bipolar membranes powered by photovoltaic solar energy.