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AMADEUS es un proyecto europeo que investiga materiales y dispositivos de estado sólido para almacenar energía a muy alta temperatura. Usando aleados de silicio como materiales de cambio de fase se alcanzan calores latentes superiores a 1000 kWh/m3, propiciando la obtención de altísimas densidades energéticas. Dichos aleados suponen temperaturas de almacenamiento por encima de los 1000 ºC, muy por encima de las de los sistemas actuales de acumulación térmica. El artículo describe las actividades del proyecto y sus primeros resultados, explicando los principales retos de este nuevo sistema que combina la acumulación de energía en forma de calor en silicio fundido con dispositivos de estado sólido termiónicos y termofotovoltaicos para la posterior conversión en electricidad. AMADEUS is a H2020 project that researches on materials and solid-state devices for very high temperature energy storage and conversion. By exploring silicon-based alloys as new phase change materials (PCMs), latent heat higher than 1000 kWh/m3 is achievable, which implies a very high energy density. In addition, silicon-based PCMs lead to storage temperatures well beyond 1000 ºC, well beyond that of current state-of-the-art thermal energy storage (TES). This paper describes the project R&D activities and first results, and comments on challenges towards a new kind of systems combining latent heat energy storage in molten silicon with thermionic and thermophotovoltaic solid state heat-to-power conversion.

Sweeping changes are beginning to transform energy scenarios around the world. The gas revolution, a renaissance in petroleum technology and exploration, and a chaotic but powerful movement toward the goal of low-carbon economies are three of the principal energy trends currently interacting with structural changes in the geo-economics of the Atlantic world to present new perspectives and opportunitiesfor the diverse actors in the ‘Atlantic Basin’. This article explores how changes in the energy landscape are contributing to a reassessment of the strategic horizon. The potential impacts of the shale revolution, deep-offshore oil, biofuels and other modern renewable energies on the geopolitics of the Atlantic Basin will be assessed, and the hypothesis that an Atlantic Basin energy system is now taking shape will be evaluated, along with an analysis of anticipated impacts.