My team is exploring the use of digital twin concepts to explore the transition pathways towards a net zero future. 
We are developing methods to systematically generate process and energy systems options using a comprehensive superstructure based multi-objective optimisation method to design integrated processes and systems considering life cycle sustainability assessment metrics.

Our pioneering work in sustainable energy conversion has demonstrated the importance of process integration to design efficient processes co-producing heat and fuels from lignocellulosic materials while demonstrating CO2 capture and the renewable energy storage by integrating electrolysis. The process design methods have also been applied to design patented technologies like a rSOC system which reaches more then 80% electrical efficiency with CO2 capture, a system to capture CO2 on trucks exhausts or an innovative design for hydro-thermal gasification for the recovery of pure water, salts and natural gas from wet waste biomass. At the system level, our work aims at leveraging the value of system integration of industrial processes, energy management and urban systems. In urban systems, we are exploring on the one hand the concept of renewable energy hubs at buildings and district levels to promote the integration of the use of renewable energy in smart cities and the use of the based district heating and cooling networks that distributes low grade waste heat to the end users’s heat pumps.

François Marechal has contributed to the creation of six start-up companies : Bluewatt Engineering now part of PSE Siemens : energy efficient waste water treatment, Trea-tech : hydrothermal gasification for water treatment and biomass conversion, Exergo.ch : multi-energy systems design by CO2 based district heating and cooling systems, Urbio : decision suppport in urban energy system planing. Qaptis : CO2 capture in transportation systems. Emissium : CO2 tracking and certification.