Perovskite Solar Modules for Indoor Use

In collaboration with scientists from Italy, two researchers from CINE have developed perovskite solar cells that exhibit excellent performance in transforming artificial light into electricity in indoor environments. To achieve this result, the team developed an innovative surface treatment for the perovskite layer. “Our strategy demonstrates strong competitive potential compared to other production methodologies for perovskite solar cells and modules, especially in terms of manufacturing simplicity and low cost,” says Francineide Lopes de Araújo, a postdoctoral researcher at CINE and lead author of the work. The devices could provide clean and renewable energy for appliances used in homes, businesses, or industries, without the need for batteries. Learn more.

Participation in COP30

Professor Ana Flávia Nogueira (Unicamp), director of CINE, was a key figure in a series of events at the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change, which brought together representatives from 194 countries and approximately 300,000 visitors in the capital of the Brazilian state of Pará between November 10th and 22nd. “Based on my participation in COP30, I see that CINE must maintain its position as a research center of excellence in the area of ​​energy transition and sustainability, in addition to participating more actively in discussions on these topics and working more forcefully on biofuels,” says Ana Flávia. Learn more.

Safety and Mental Health Day

More than 80 CINE members participated in a workshop on the afternoon of December 1st, which generated important reflections on safety and mental health in the workplace. The event brought Shell professionals to Unicamp to present and discuss these issues. “It was a very important moment where we all stopped to discuss these topics, including exchanging best practices already implemented within CINE divisions,” says Professor Mateus Giesbrecht (Unicamp), coordinator of Health, Safety and Environment at the center. Learn more.

Panel Discussions at CEPETRO’s Energy Week

The first edition of Energy Week, an event that brought together the productive sector and academia at Unicamp to discuss the present and future of energy, included CINE’s participation on the organizing committee. The center’s main contribution was the organization of a workshop on entrepreneurship and three panel discussions on energy transition, energy storage, and green hydrogen. “Energy Week consolidated the university’s role in articulating science, industry, and public policies within the debate on energy transition,” says Professor Gustavo Doubek (Unicamp), who was one of CINE’s representatives in the organization of the event. Learn more.

Cath Energy, a startup born within the CINE ecosystem, presented its pitch at Brazil Windpower 2025, the largest wind energy event in Latin America. The presenter was Bruno Bitarães Neto Salgado Brandão, a postdoctoral researcher at CINE. The startup has an innovative technology for the sustainable production of sodium battery cathode materials (a strategic technology for storing wind and solar energy) from domestic minerals. The presentation took place at São Paulo Expo on October 29th, for international investors, industry representatives, policymakers, and other players in the energy and electric mobility sector.

Members of CINE (researchers Ana Flávia Nogueira, Jilian de Freitas, and André Sarto Polo) co-organized a symposium on emerging technologies for solar cells, held within the XXIII B-MRS Meeting. The event, which is the largest materials science conference in Latin America, took place this year in Salvador, Bahia, from September 28th to October 2nd. The symposium, titled “Energy Harvesting: Perovskite, Organic, Hybrid, Quantum Dots, and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells,” fostered discussion of scientific advancements among national and international researchers. Furthermore, several CINE members presented their work at various symposia during the event.

Professor Juarez L. F. Da Silva (IQSC-USP), coordinator of the Computational Materials Design division at CINE, presented a plenary lecture at the XXIII Brazilian Symposium on Theoretical Chemistry, held in Bento Gonçalves (RS) from November 10 to 13. In his lecture, he discussed recent advances in computational strategies for the rational design of metal-based catalysts, highlighting how density functional theory (DFT) and data-driven approaches can be integrated to explore the reactivity and stability of transition metal clusters.

Professor André Sarto Polo (UFABC), a researcher at CINE, presented his most recent contributions on solar cells based on 2D/3D perovskite films at two international events: the 33rd International Materials Research Congress, held from August 17 to 21 in Cancún (Mexico), and the Matsus Fall, a conference on materials for sustainable development held in Valencia (Spain) from October 20 to 24.

Between October 31st and November 3rd, in Boston (USA), chemical engineering student Letícia Akemi Modesto de Souza, a member of CINE, participated in international events aimed at chemical engineers and students: the AIChE Annual Meeting and the AIChE Annual Student Conference. During the conference, Letícia presented the results of her undergraduate research on electrodes for lithium-ion batteries in sessions dedicated to work conducted by students around the world.

Professor Mateus Giesbrecht (Unicamp), coordinator of the Energy Generation division at CINE, presented a paper at the Brazilian Power Electronics Congress (COBEP), held in Vitória (ES) from October 5th to 8th. The work discussed techniques for controlling emulation lab benches that will allow a laboratory setup to behave like a wind turbine.

The joint workshop of the Low Carbon Hydrogen (LCH2) and Computational Materials Design (CMD) CINE divisions has just been held. The event took place on December 16th and 17th at UFSCar and brought together researchers, students, and collaborators from both programs, promoting a space for integration, knowledge exchange, and strengthening partnerships. The event’s program included the presentation of 50 posters on work developed within CINE.

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