Bañares-Alcántara Rene

Rene Bañares-Alcántara is a Reader in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Department of Engineering Science. His research interests focus on Process Systems Engineering, with a particular emphasis on long-term (chemical) storage of renewable energy and the production, distribution, and use of ‘green’ ammonia since 2014. The OXGATE group has developed techno-economic models for ‘green’ ammonia, incorporating factors such as multi-annual wind/solar variability, grid connectivity, offshore production, tidal energy, and green energy trade. He is also involved in teaching, tutoring students in Thermodynamics, Fluids, Mathematics, and Engineering and Society, and coordinating design projects.

Rene Banares-Alcantara is a Reader in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, specializing in green ammonia and energy storage. Their research explores the techno-economic viability of green ammonia as a carbon-free energy vector, focusing on its potential for large-scale power generation, energy storage, and intercontinental energy transport. Key areas include the impact of renewable energy intermittency on plant sizing, the levelized cost of electricity from green ammonia, and the spatial and policy considerations for its deployment. They also investigate the integration of green ammonia into energy systems, emphasizing its role in decarbonizing the chemical industry and supporting grid connectivity. Their work combines engineering, economics, and policy analysis to advance sustainable energy solutions.