The Chair of Energy Sustainability at the UB promotes research into the production, supply and use of the energy needed to maintain social welfare and development, placing special emphasis on economic, environmental and social aspects. The Chair pursues the following aims:

1. To develop a research programme in energy and environmental matters.
In that sense, various research topics are being developed by the Chair, with special emphasis on the following: R&D in the energy sector, energy efficiency, energy markets, renewable energies, electricity and gas transmission and distribution, and power sector regulation in general.

2. To promote research in energy and environmental topics through the establishment of a permanent research group.

In that sense, in 2014 the Emerging Research Group of the Government of Catalonia (2014SGR531), it recognizes the excellent research carried out and brings institutional acknowledgment.

3. To encourage scientific debate through seminars and the visiting professors program in areas related to the Chair’s activities.
Highlight the tremendous effort made by the Chair through the seminars and visiting professors program in which more than 25 university professors coming from relevant national and international institutions have already participated.

4. To collaborate in an international framework with top-class universities and research centers with a proven track record.
The Chair has created collaborative networks with universities and research centres such as Erasmus University of Rotterdam and Warwick Business School. Moreover, it takes part in international research projects.

5. To promote the publication of research studies in JCR journals in the areas covered by the Chair.
The research group has recurrently published articles in journals acknowledged by the Journal Citation Report (JCR) since its creation.

6. To organize international scientific congresses in research areas covered by the Chair.
An International Academic Symposium is organized annually with great success. They have included the participation of leading experts in sustainability and energy topics from the academic world.

7. To support the publication of monographs disseminating its activities.
The Chair has published a book titled “Foreign Investment and Energy Sector in Latin America”, edited by Civitas.

This group is evolving into a high quality research institution, with international scientific recognition, so that its projects and team members meet the demanding conditions of ICREA (the Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies) and the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation. Its scientific work is expected to meet the standards of the academic journals acknowledged by the JCR network (Journal Citation Reports).

The annual assessments of the research group’s scientific activity will include the number of articles accepted in journals recognized by the JCR as an indicator of the quality of research undertaken, as well as participation in conferences and accredited international workshops.

The Chair, led by professor Maria Teresa Costa Campi and affiliated to the IEB, was created by an agreement between the University of Barcelona and the Foundation for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (FUNSEAM), whose members are the Repsol Foundation, Enagas, the ACS Foundation, CEPSA, CLH, Endesa, Gas Natural Fenosa and EDP renováveis.