Carlos de Castro Carranza

Professor of the Department of Applied Physics at the University of Valladolid and belongs to the recognized research group GEEDS (Energy, Economics and Systems Dynamics Group) of the University of Valladolid. Carlos’ research is focused on two directions that feed back into each other:

1. The analysis and modeling of the biophysical limits imposed on our civilization by problems such as energy, climate change, biodiversity loss, etc., together with the sociological and cultural “barriers” that are the fundamental causes of the collapse of our civilization. Carlos is looking for models of our civilization in collapse, exploring possible paths and scenarios that avoid “Mad-Max” type scenarios or even human extinction.

2. The analysis and deep vision of the hypotheses and theories of Gaia. Carlos has developed a holistic scientific theory that he calls “organic Gaia” and now dedicates his efforts to exploring the consequences that this theory can have on philosophy, ethics, emotional/artistic aspects and even human spirituality. Together, these fields, this “holistic sophia,” could visualize scenarios that help avoid Mad-Max-type outcomes while helping to build the social and cultural foundations of possible future sustainable civilizations.

Contact

Mail: ccastro@termo.uva.es

Academic publications

Iñigo Capellán-Pérez; Carlos de Castro. Transición a energías renovables y demanda de minerales. Minería y extractivismos. Granada, (España): Editorial Universida de Granada, 2022. Disponible online en: <https://editorial.ugr.es/libro/mineria-y-extractivismos_138873/>. ISBN 9788433869258.
De Castro, C., McShea, Daniel W., 2022. Applying the Prigogine view of dissipative systems to the major transitions in evolution. 2022. Paleobiology. First View, pp. 1 – 18, https://doi.org/10.1017/pab.2022.7 (Material suplementario disponible aquí)
Pulido Sánchez, D., Capellán-Pérez, I., Mediavilla, M., De Castro, C., Frechoso, F., 2021. Análisis de los requerimientos de materiales de la movilidad eléctrica mundial. DYNA, 2020. DYNA, Vol. 96, pp. 207 – 213. https://doi.org/10.6036/9893
Capellán-Pérez, I., De Blas, I., Nieto, J., Mediavilla, M., De Castro, C., Carpintero, Ó., Lobejón, L.F., Álvarez, D., Ferreras, N., Parrado, G., Frechoso, F., Duce, C., Miguel, L.J., 2021. Modelo MEDEAS. Papeles de Energía, Nº12 (febrero 2021). pp. 39 – 45. (PDF en castellano)
Van de Ven, D.-J., Capellán-Pérez, I., Arto, I., Cazcarro, I., De Castro, C., Patel, P., González-Eguino, M., 2021. The potential land use requirements and related land use change emissions of solar energy. Scientific Reports. Vol. 11, Article number: 2907. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82042-5
Capellán-Pérez, Í., Castro, C. de. (2020). Los límites ecológicos del mundo. Enríquez, J.M., Miguel, L.J., Duce, C. (Ed.) Repensar la sostenibilidad. (pp 19-38.) Madrid: UNED.
Castro, C. de, Capellán-Pérez, Í. (2020). Ciencia y tecnología para la sostenibilidad. Enríquez, J.M., Miguel, L.J., Duce, C. (Ed.) Repensar la sostenibilidad. (pp 295-318.) Madrid: UNED.
Castro, C. de, Capellán-Pérez, I., 2020. Standard, Point of Use, and Extended Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROI) from Comprehensive Material Requirements of Present Global Wind, Solar, and Hydro Power Technologies. Energies. (open access)
Capellán-Pérez, I., Blas, I. de, Nieto, J., Castro, C. de, Miguel, L.J., Carpintero, Ó., Mediavilla, M., Lobejón, L.F., Ferreras-Alonso, N., Rodrigo, P., Frechoso, F., Álvarez-Antelo, D., 2020. MEDEAS: a new modeling framework integrating global biophysical and socioeconomic constraints. Energy Environ. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EE02627D
Solé, J., Samsó, R., García-Ladona, E., García-Olivares, A., Ballabrera-Poy, J., Madurell, T., Turiel, A., Osychenko, O., Álvarez, D., Bardi, U., Baumann, M., Buchmann, K., Capellán-Pérez, Í., Černý, M., Carpintero, Ó., De Blas, I., De Castro, C., De Lathouwer, J-D., Duce, C., Eggler, L., Enríquez, J.M., Falsini, S., Feng, K., Ferreras, N., Frechoso, F., Hubacek, K., Jones, A., Kaclíková, R. Kerschner, C., Kimmich, C., Lobejón, L.F., Lomas, P.L., Martelloni, G., Mediavilla, M., Miguel, L.J., Natalini, D., Nieto, J., Nikolaev, A., Parrado, G., Papagianni, S., Perissi, I., Ploiner, C., Radulov, L., Rodrigo, P., Sun, L., Theofilidi, M., 2020. Modelling the renewable transition: Scenarios and pathways for a decarbonized future using pymedeas, a new open-source energy systems model. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 132, 110105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110105 (open access)
I. Capellán-Pérez, C. de Castro, L.J. Miguel González. 2019. Dynamic Energy Return on Energy Investment (EROI) and material requirements in scenarios of global transition to renewable energies. Energy Strategy Reviews 26, 100399 (open access).
Capellán-Pérez, Iñigo, Carlos de Castro and Iñaki Arto. “Assessing vulnerabilities and limits in the transition to renewable energies: Land requirements under 100% solar energy scenarios”. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews(September 2017). In Press. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.03.137 (AAM in PDF).

“Cambio Climático, Modelos e IPCC.” Iñigo Capellán-Pérez y Carlos de Castro. El Ecologista, no. 84 (2015): 18–20 (weby PDF).

Capellán-Pérez, Iñigo, Margarita Mediavilla, Carlos de Castro, Óscar Carpintero, and Luis Javier Miguel. “More Growth? An Unfeasible Option to Overcome Critical Energy Constraints and Climate Change.” Sustainability Science, April 25, 2015, 1–15. doi:10.1007/s11625-015-0299-3. (Accepted Author Manuscript available here).

Capellán-Pérez, Iñigo, Margarita Mediavilla, Carlos de Castro, Óscar Carpintero, and Luis Javier Miguel. “Fossil Fuel Depletion and Socio-Economic Scenarios: An Integrated Approach.” Energy 77 (December 1, 2014): 641–66. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2014.09.063. (Accepted Author Manuscript available for download here).

Castro, Carlos de, Óscar Carpintero, Fernando Frechoso, Margarita Mediavilla, and Luis J. de Miguel. “A Top-down Approach to Assess Physical and Ecological Limits of Biofuels.” Energy 64 (Enero 2014): 506–12. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2013.10.049.

Global solar electric potential: A review of their technical and sustainable limits. Carlos de Castro, Margarita Mediavilla, Luis Javier Miguel, Fernando Frechoso. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 28(2013), 824-835

En defensa de una teoría Gaia Orgánica. Carlos de Castro. Ecosistemas 22(2):113-118, mayo-agosto 2013 (la idea que inspiró los artículos sobre los límites de las renovables)
The Transition toward renewable energies: physical limits and temporal conditions, Margarita Mediavilla, Carlos de Castro, Iñigo Capellán, Luis Javier Miguel, Iñaki Arto, Fernando Frechoso. Energy Policy, vol 52, enero 2013, páginas 297-311. (Accepted Author Manuscript available for download here)
La transición hacia energías renovables: límites físicos y temporales (draft). Margarita Mediavilla, Carlos de Castro, Iñigo Capellán, Luis Javier Miguel, Iñaki Arto, Fernando Frechoso. (borrador del artículo publicado en Energy Policy, vol 52, enero 2013)
Castro, Carlos de, Margarita Mediavilla, Luis Javier Miguel, and Fernando Frechoso. “Global Wind Power Potential: Physical and Technological Limits.” Energy Policy 39, no. 10 (October 2011): 6677–82. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.06.027.
Analysis of the energetic transition: the electric car. Margarita Mediavilla, Luis Javier Miguel, Carlos de Castro. 9th International Conference of the Internationa Society of Ecological Economics, Estambul, 14-7 junio 2011.
Global Wind limit (draft). Referencia: Carlos de Castro, Margarita Mediavilla, Luis Javier Miguel y Fernando Frechoso. 2011. “Global Wind Power Potential: Physical and technological limits” ( borrador del artículo publicado en Energy Policy. 39(10), 6677-6682)
Global solar limit (draft). Referencia: Carlos de Castro, Margarita Mediavilla, Luis Javier Miguel y Fernando Frechoso. 2011. ” Global solar electric power potential: technical and ecological limits” (borrador del artículo publicado en Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 28(2013), 824-835 )
Tesis Carlos de Castro (“Escenarios de energía-economía mundiales con modelos de dinámica de sistemas” (2009). UVa)
Castro, Carlos de, Luis Javier Miguel, and Margarita Mediavilla. “The Role of Non Conventional Oil in the Attenuation of Peak Oil.” Energy Policy 37, no. 5 (May 2009): 1825–33. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2009.01.022.
Non conventional oil (draft). Referencia: Carlos de Castro, Luis Javier de Miguel y Margarita Mediavilla. 2009. “The role of non-conventional oil in the attenuation of peak oil” (borrador del artículo publicado en Energy Policy. 37(5), 1825-1833).
From fossil fuels to renewable energies, Margarita Mediavilla, Luis Javier Miguel, Carlos de Castro. 26th International Systems Dynamics Conference, Atenas, Grecia, 20-24 junio 2008.