Meet the researchers: The Unite!Energy Doctoral Candidates
Marianna Kama
DC 12 – A sustainable path towards the innovative deployment of low-carbon H2 technology
Host institution 1
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Supervisor: Professor César Valderrama
Credit: Katrin Binner/TU Darmstadt
Host institution 2
INP Grenoble
Supervisor: Professor Peggy Zwolinski
My project
​To develop a systematic and holistic approach tool to assess the supply chain of the production and storage of H2, and its use to generate energy in fuel cells, from the sustainability perspective.
About me
I am a Chemical Engineer with a strong interest in sustainability and life cycle assessment. My academic journey started with an Integrated Master’s in Chemical Engineering at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where I conducted my thesis at the Environmental Engineering Laboratory, focusing on industrial safety in the petroleum sector. To further deepen my knowledge in sustainability at the energy sector, I pursued a Master’s in Energy and Finance at the International Hellenic University.
My research at the Chemical Process & Energy Resources Institute, part of the Center for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) focused on COâ‚‚ conversion into valuable energy products, strengthening my expertise in environmental impact assessment. Following my studies, I worked as a researcher at CERTH, focusing on sustainability assessments for EU-funded projects. In this role, I applied life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) methodologies to evaluate the environmental and economic aspects of emerging technologies.
Now, as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Fellow in the Unite!Energy program, I am committed to shaping a more sustainable hydrogen economy. My PhD focuses on developing a systematic approach to evaluating the sustainability of the hydrogen supply chain, integrating LCA, scaling-up analysis, and criticality assessments. A key goal of my research is to create an LCA database and an ecodesign methodology for hydrogen technologies, helping to drive sustainable energy transitions.
As the last Doctoral Candidate (DC) of the project, I am excited to collaborate with my fellow DCs to explore the technologies they develop and assess their sustainability aspects. I strongly believe that interdisciplinary collaboration and diverse perspectives are essential to tackling global sustainability challenges. Working across different institutions—UPC, INP Grenoble, and EIT InnoEnergy—allows me to engage with experts across multiple fields and contribute to meaningful change in the energy sector.