CIRCE Implements for CIUDEN One of Europe’s Most Advanced Energy Infrastructures for Integrating Renewables, Energy Storage, and Hydrogen

An Innovative Energy Architecture Based on Direct Current

The infrastructure that CIRCE will install at CIUDEN in the coming days is based on a direct current (DC) electrical network capable of integrating solar energy, battery storage, and hydrogen production within a single system.

Compared to alternating current (AC) architectures, this solution reduces energy conversion stages, minimises losses, simplifies the interconnection of different technologies, and optimises costs, particularly in environments with high renewable energy penetration. In addition, it incorporates advanced energy management tools that enable real-time coordination of the various assets.

Validated at pre-industrial scale at CIUDEN’s facilities, this architecture generates key technical knowledge and strengthens CIRCE’s capabilities in the design and operation of advanced energy systems, contributing to the development of more efficient, flexible, and decarbonisation-ready microgrids and energy hubs.

Towards More Flexible and Resilient Energy Systems

The integration of renewable energy, storage, and hydrogen within a single infrastructure represents a significant step towards more efficient energy systems capable of meeting decarbonisation challenges. It promotes better utilisation of renewable energy resources and supports new models based on technological hybridisation.

CIRCE at the Forefront of Energy Integration

Through this project, CIRCE not only strengthens its position as a leading technology centre but also establishes itself as one of Europe’s key players in the development, integration, and validation of advanced energy solutions. Its ability to address technology hybridisation from an end-to-end perspective—from power electronics and control systems to operation in real-world environments—enables it to lead strategic projects supporting the transition to a decarbonised energy model.

The knowledge generated through this infrastructure, together with its applied and industry-oriented approach, places CIRCE at the forefront of intelligent energy architecture design, actively contributing to the deployment of new paradigms such as energy hubs, DC microgrids, and large-scale sector coupling.

CIUDEN: Harnessing the Opportunities of the Energy Transition

The City of Energy Foundation (CIUDEN) is an organisation attached to Spain’s Institute for Just Transition (ITJ) and under the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO). Its mission is to implement R&D&I programmes related to energy and the environment while contributing to economic and social development, particularly in just transition regions. The Foundation serves as a powerful platform for pilot validation and demonstration projects aimed at achieving the objectives of Spain’s National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). It acts as a hub for the development of energy storage and renewable hydrogen technologies, promoting research, development, and innovation initiatives.