Dr. Diego López Pascual

Dr. Diego López Pascual is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Signal Theory and Communications at the Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Spain. He holds a Ph.D. in Signal Theory and Communication Technologies (awarded cum laude and with an Extraordinary Doctoral Award), an M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from UAH, and a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidad de Burgos. During his four-month research visit, Dr. López Pascual will work in the Aydin Group on the thermal fatigue analysis of perovskite-based multijunction solar cells.

His broader research expertise focuses on the development of novel electromechanical devices and the thermodynamic design and analysis of efficient, sustainable energy production systems. He has participated in seven publicly funded research projects—including the European H2020 UWIPOM2 project—and ten research contracts with private companies and international bodies, such as the ITER Organization. He is the author of 15 peer-reviewed scientific articles, six conference papers, two book chapters, and holds an invention patent.

His academic contributions have been recognized with several distinctions, including the Award for the Best Doctoral Thesis in Engineering and Architecture (2024) by the Sociedad de Condueños, the Award for the Best Doctoral Thesis in Smart Energy (CEI 2024), and the Best Presentation Award at the 5th International Conference on Renewable Energy and Environment Engineering (REEE 2022).

Thermal fatigue analysis of perovskite-based multijunction solar cells in space environments.

• Diego López Pascual, Ignacio Valiente Blanco, Miguel Fernández Muñoz, Efrén Díez Jiménez. (2024). Improving the efficiency of solar photovoltaics by means of geothermal cooling: A year-long test campaign. Renewable Energy, 227.
• Diego López Pascual, Ignacio Valiente Blanco, Miguel Fernandez Muñoz, Efrén Díez Jimenez. (2023). Theoretical modelling and optimization of a geothermal cooling system for solar photovoltaics. Renewable Energy, 206, pp.357-366.
• Diego López Pascual, Ignacio Valiente Blanco, Oscar Manzano Narro, Miguel Fernández Muñoz, Efrén Díez Jiménez. (2022). Experimental characterization of a geothermal cooling system for enhancement of the efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels. Energy Reports, 8-15, pp.756-763.
• Ignacio Valiente Blanco, Diego López Pascual, Pablo Díaz Villar, Ricardo Mallol Poyato, Alberto Barragán, Manuel Ocaña, Guido Granello, Efrén Díez Jiménez. (2022). Efficiency Improvement of Photovoltaic Solar Modules by Cooling Using an Underground Heat Exchanger. Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 144-6.
• Gabriel Villalba Alumbreros, Diego López Pascual, Ignacio Valiente Blanco, Efrén Díez Jiménez. (2023). Power Saving in Magnetorquers by Operating in Cryogenic Environments. Actuators, 12-5.