Dissemination

We are pleased to share that researchers from the eNargiZinc project participated in 11th International Conference on Engineering for Waste and Biomass Valorisation (WasteEng2026), held at the University of A Coruña, Spain, from 7–10 July 2026.

Presentation

This work presents a waste-to-energy-storage approach in which almond tree pruning and almond shells were converted into porous carbon cathodes for aqueous zinc hybrid supercapacitors. The study showed that the nature of the biomass precursor and the activation strategy play a key role in controlling pore development and, consequently, electrochemical performance. Hydrothermal pretreatment followed by mild K₂CO₃ activation produced a hierarchical pore structure that promoted efficient ion transport and charge storage. The results demonstrate the potential of almond residues as low-cost precursors for advanced carbon materials, providing a value-added pathway for agricultural waste within a circular economy framework.

Impact and dissemination

WasteEng2026 brought together around 400 international experts in sustainability, circular economy, waste management, and biomass valorization. Celebrating 20 years of the WasteEng conference series, the event provided an international platform for exchanging research and innovation aimed at the beneficial use and valorization of waste and biomass.

The participation of eNargiZinc provided an opportunity to disseminate the project’s research on transforming agricultural residues into functional materials for zinc-based energy storage and to connect this work with the broader objectives of waste valorization and the circular economy.

Gallery

Event information