Vanesa Gil, ARAID leading researcher at the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation (FHa), is driving the HYPRAEL project (Horizon Europe) to achieve near-zero energy loss in pressurized green hydrogen production using advanced alkaline electrolysis and 50 kW industrial scaling.

Green hydrogen is not just a chemical formula; it is the result of years of experimentation, rigor, and vision in the laboratory. Within the HYPRAEL project, funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, this journey has a key name in European energy research: Vanesa Gil.

Based at the Walqa Technology Park in Huesca (Aragon), Vanesa Gil leads one of the most ambitious challenges of Horizon Europe (Grant Agreement 101101452): producing pressurized hydrogen at 80 bar without expensive mechanical compression. Her work bridges materials science with the reality of a decarbonized industrial sector in the European Union.

Real Science for a Real World: From 10 cm² to 50 kW

Science is often perceived as abstract, but Vanesa’s work is purely tangible. She architects the validation of innovative 3D structured electrodes and APS coatings—developed with partners like Fraunhofer (Germany) and VECO (Netherlands)—performing under extreme conditions up to 120Cº.

“What motivates me about HYPRAEL is seeing how an innovation born in a 10 cm² cell successfully scales to a 50 kW industrial stack,” says Gil. This scale-up is crucial for the European Green Deal and the energy resilience of the Aragon Hydrogen Valley.

Role Models Inspiring the Green Economy

The “Women Breaking the Hydrogen Barrier” campaign highlights Vanesa Gil as a reference in STEM. In a sector where the gender gap remains a challenge, her leadership aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5, 12, and 13.

An In-depth Conversation with Vanesa Gil

Q: What motivates you the most about working on a project like HYPRAEL, which aims to eliminate energy losses in hydrogen production?

Vanesa Gil: “As an ARAID researcher, my R&D is driven by intellectual curiosity, the pursuit of solutions to complex problems, and continuous learning. Above all, I am moved by the desire to generate a positive impact on society from a place as humble yet significant as the FHa.”

Q: What has been the most exciting technical challenge in scaling materials from a 10 cm² cell to a 50 kW industrial stack?

Vanesa Gil: “The greatest challenge in research is climbing that endless staircase from concept to industrial transfer. Rigor and reproducibility are essential. As we scale up, the challenges become more complex, making it vital to have multidisciplinary teams with complementary skills to solve the diverse hurdles that arise.”

Q: What would you say to a girl who dreams of being a scientist but feels that engineering or energy are distant worlds?

Vanesa Gil: “You cannot dream of what you do not know exists. Fortunately, there are more and more role models today that allow you to dream of these supposedly distant worlds. In science, curiosity is the spark that drives exploration, but discipline is the fuel that keeps the engine running. We must never stop being children—like an eternal Peter Pan—keeping that curiosity alive while applying the discipline needed to turn dreams into real achievements.”

Q: In one sentence, how do you believe your work in the laboratory today will change people’s lives in the next 10 years?

Vanesa Gil: “Our work is fundamental to social development as it translates scientific discoveries into practical solutions, directly contributing to climate change mitigation and resource efficiency.”