Stay tuned for TESTARE’s participation in the 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC)!

The TESTARE team will take part in two parallel events during the 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC), which will be held in Vienna, Austria from 23 to 27 September, 2024.

Dr. Maria Hadjipanayi (University of Cyprus), alongside a team of post-doctoral researchers from different EU-funded projects, will participate in the parallel event on “Perovskite Network Event: Current Experiences in Characterisation and Indoor/Outdoor Tetsing of Varied Perovskite Cells and Mini-Modules”.

Additionally, Dr. Matthew Norton (University of Cyprus), will participate in another parallel event titled “Unveiling the future of Solar Energy with Perovskite PV”, which serves as the final public event of the VIPERLAB project.

The EU PVSEC conference is the largest international conference for photovoltaic research, technologies, and applications. It includes a PV Industry Exhibition, where specialists from the PV industry present technologies, innovations, and new concepts in their sector. The EU PVSEC 2024 Parallel Events will provide deep insights into specific topics, showcasing the latest PV technology, PV application and market trends. These events will importantly also engage global decision-makers from industry, research, finance, and politics.

The team will be representing the Horizon Europe Twinning project “TESTARE” (“Twinning for excellence in TEsting new generation PV: Long-term STAbility and field REliability”), actively disseminating the results of the project's research activities, and networking with experts in the field.

Find the parallel events programme here: Parallel Events (eupvsec.org)

Learn more about the Conference here: Home (eupvsec.org)

Stay tuned!

TESTARE-DIAMOND Joint PhD School in Freiburg, Germany offered a unique learning experience on Perovskite PV!

Researchers from the TESTARE project had the great opportunity to co-organize a Joint PhD School on Perovskite PV (https://diamond-horizon.eu/phd-school-on-perovskite-pv/) with the DIAMOND project. The event was held in Freiburg, Germany, from 15 to 17 April, 2024.

The PhD school was a journey of exploration, learning, and networking for seventy participants, including twelve speakers from the TESTARE and DIAMOND projects, as well as PhD students and early-stage researchers from over fifteen countries. The aim was to deepen the participants’ knowledge of perovskite photovoltaic technologies, including hybrid systems such as the silicon-perovskite tandem systems.

The main topics covered were carbon-based electrodes, simulation and characterization of perovskite PV, life-cycle assessment and environmental impact, perovskite-based tandem photovoltaics, industrialization of perovskite PV, stability assessment and outdoor reliability.

Dr. Elias Peraticos (University of Cyprus) participated with a poster presentation on “Advanced Indoor Characterization and Degradation Analysis of Perovskite Mini-modules using several Optoelectronic Techniques”, showcasing work of the TESTARE project and its collaborators.

Additionally, the coordinator of the TESTARE Project, Dr. Maria Hadjipanayi (University of Cyprus), presented the project’s work on “Outdoor reliability and Degradation of Perovskite Photovoltaics”.

This joint PhD school aimed not only to transfer knowledge to the scientific community, but also to act as a great networking hub for establishing new research collaborations between the participating students and the respective organization they represented.

TESTARE and DIAMOND are Horizon Europe projects funded by the European Union (TESTARE Grant Agreement Nº 101079488; DIAMOND Grant Agreement Nº 101084124).

Dr. Elias Peraticos presented on perovskite technology at the 16th HOPV24 International Conference

Dr. Elias Peraticos participated in the 16th International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics (HOPV24), which took place from 13 to 15 May, 2024 in Valencia, Spain.

Dr. Peraticos delivered an oral presentation on the “Evolution of hysteresis index based on two-year outdoor testing”, discussing work performed in the field of perovskite technology by the TESTARE Horizon Europe project.

The data presented were obtained from different samples, some of which had been exposed to outdoor conditions for more than two years, and the presentation focused on how the hysteresis index in perovskite samples varies with temperature and irradiance in outdoor studies.

At the end of the session, Dr. Peraticos had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion, in which the speakers delved into the challenges of commercializing perovskites and answered questions from the audience.

Overall, the conference explored cutting-edge advancements in hybrid and organic solar cells, including perovskite, organic, and other novel solar cells, as well as their integration into complementary photoelectrochemical systems. It featured numerous cross-disciplinary discussions with expert knowledge exchanges, emphasizing the importance of advanced materials and emerging technologies in the solar energy field. Additionally, the conference included special sessions on energy policy and career development.

Dr. Peraticos was representing the Horizon Europe Twinning project “TESTARE” (“Twinning for excellence in TEsting new generation PV: Long-term STAbility and field REliability”), actively disseminating the results of the project's research activities, and networking with experts in the field.

Expression of Interest Postdoctoral Researchers through the POST-DOC/0524 Call

PHAETHON Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence (PHAETHON CoE) at the University of Cyprus (UCY) invites Expressions of Interest from postdoctoral researchers with an excellent research and publication track record, who would like to apply for a postdoctoral fellowship through the Research & Innovation Foundation’s (RIF, the national funding agency) Call POST-DOC/0524, with PHAETHON CoE as their Host Organisation

More info here

Expression of Interest MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024

PHAETHON Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence (PHAETHON CoE) at the University of Cyprus (UCY) invites Expressions of Interest from postdoctoral researchers with an excellent research and publication track record, for a joint application to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 call (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01-01).

More info here

Energy Technologies and Sustainable Design», cordially invite you to a technical lecture on “From buildings with almost zero energy consumption to zero emission buildings

The Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber, the Polytechnic School of the University of Cyprus, and the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programme (MSc) «Energy Technologies and Sustainable Design», cordially invite you to a technical lecture on “From buildings with almost zero energy consumption to zero emission buildings”.

The lecture will be delivered in greek.

When: Wednesday 13 March 2024, 17.00 - 19.00.

Where: room B108, University House “Anastasios G. Leventis”, New Campus – University of Cyprus

More info & agenda here

Registrations are available by 8 March 2024 the latest in the following link:

https://forms.gle/enhiZKNXjJrPcfH26

SyNERGY MED 2024 Announces Call for Papers

The 3rd International Conference on Energy Transition in the Mediterranean Area will provide a forum for in-depth, solution-oriented discussion among researchers, policymakers, regional and local authorities, renewable energy clusters, and other main actors in the energy transition underway.

The Organising Committee and General Chairs are delighted to announce the launch for Call for Papers for the 3rd International Conference on Energy Transition in the Mediterranean Area (SyNERGY MED 2024), which is scheduled to take place between 21-23 October 2024, in Limassol, Cyprus.

The Conference aims to address the vast technological changes in the areas of renewable energy, smart grid technologies, grid integration, low-carbon buildings and energy communities, energy policy, cybersecurity, and social science issues. In this respect, it will substantively build upon the previous two conferences, in service of delivering a major energy platform in the region.

The 2024 edition of the Conference is being organised by the University of Cyprus, with the support of the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the University of Western Macedonia, the University of Cagliari, and the IEEE University of Cyprus Student Branch. As in previous years, the Conference is benefitting from technical sponsorship by the IEEE Power & Energy Society, while the scientific quality is strengthened by the launch of new Special Issues in the leading journals Renewable Energy and Sustainable Energy Grids and Networks.

SyNERGY MED 2024 will focus on key topics of interest to the Energy Challenges in the Mediterranean area, providing a forum for in-depth, solution-oriented discussion among researchers, policymakers, regional and local authorities, renewable energy clusters, and other main actors/stakeholders in the energy transition underway. The following confirmed Keynote Speakers will provide further insight into and facilitate discussion around these key topics of interest:

Prof. Andreas K. Athienitis (Concordia University)
Mr. Henrik Bindner (Technical University of Denmark)
Dr Venizelos Efthymiou (PHAETHON Centre of Excellence)
Prof. Klaus Hubacek (University of Groningen)
Prof. Carlo Alberto Nucci (University of Bologna)
Prof. Aravind Purushothaman Vellayani (University of Groningen)


The submission system for SyNERGY MED 2024 is now open, with prospective authors invited to submit a Full Paper, ranging between 3 to 5 pages, until 29 April 2024.

Fuller information concerning the international conference, including the registration process and fees, submission guidelines, accommodation options, and thematic areas, is available on the SyNERGY MED 2024 website: https://synergy-med.org/. Interested parties are also encouraged to email the Organising Committee for any related academic matters at: synmed2024@ucy.ac.cy.

Check out the BERLIN Project journey through its dedicated Newsletters!

Project Berlin (full title: “Cost-effective rehabilitation of public buildings into smart and resilient nano-grids using storage”) was an ambitious project funded by the European Union under the ENI CBC Med Programme that brought together seven organisations from four Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and Italy) to jointly tackle aspects of environmental protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation (Thematic objective B.4) through energy efficiency and renewable energy priority actions.

Click on the below for a full overview of the project’s news and results along the way, from the first day of its implementation to the last:

Newsletter 1

Newsletter 2

Newsletter 3

Newsletter 4

Newsletter 5

Newsletter 6

First PHAETHON CoE Internship Programme students

On 14 February 2024, the PVLab, FOSS/PHAETHON team had the great pleasure to attend the presentations of the first PHAETHON CoE Internship Programme students, who had joined us between 5-15 February 2024 from the Arab Academy for Science and Technology (AASTMT), Egypt. Mr. Youssef Hamdy and Mr. AbdelRahman Yasser, students of Electrical Engineering at AASTMT, jointly presented their exciting research results on the "Integration of Smart PV Systems into Cloud-Based Databases", undertaken as part of their Internship on-site at the University of Cyprus.

We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of like-minded interns from across the globe, as part of our enriched Internship Programme this summer! More info on the next intake here: https://www.phaethon-coe.eu/internship-programme-2024

The University of Cyprus DegradationLab Team is a Partner in Project TRANSMIT.

The new project on “Semi-transparent micro-stripped thin-film photovoltaics for energy-harvesting windows” is being coordinated by the Iberian International Nanotechnology Laboratory, engaging six partners across five countries.

A new partnership that brings together six partners across five countries (Cyprus, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, and Turkey) has been launched for the implementation of a new research project with the acronym “TRANSMIT”.

Read the Press Release here: English  Greek.

New Project by the DegradationLab team: TRANSMIT– Semi-transparent micro-stripped thin-film photovoltaics for energy-harvesting windows.

A new project contract was signed by the DegradationLab team of the PV Technology Lab, University of Cyprus, this time for the TRANSMIT project, co-funded by the Republic of Cyprus and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Research and Innovation Foundation (EP/CETP/0922/0059).

Project TRANSMIT, titled “Semi-transparent micro-stripped thin-film photovoltaics for energy-harvesting windows”, will run for 36 months and was funded under the CET Partnership Call of Proposals. The project is being coordinated by the Iberian International Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Portugal, while the DegradationLab team of the University of Cyprus is participating as a partner.

This successful funding bid reflects the DegradationLab team’s increasing capability in going after joint funding opportunities for Research and Development (R&D) projects with industry and SMEs , as well as its increased participation in national and international funding bids and the achievement of new collaborations with key research and industrial players, all of which are objectives in their current Horizon Europe project TESTARE.

Stay updated about upcoming activities of the DegradationLab team by following the TESTARE social media.
Website: https://www.testare.eu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/testareproject
Twitter: https://twitter.com/testareproject
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/testareproject/

TRANSMIT project is co-funded by the Republic of Cyprus and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Research and Innovation Foundation (EP/CETP/0922/0059). TRANSMIT was funded by CETPartnership, The Clean Energy Transition Partnership under the 2022 joint call for research proposals, co-funded by the European Commission (GA No 101069750) and with the funding organizations detailed on https://cetpartnership.eu/funding-agencies-and-call-modules.

TESTARE participated in the TWIN4MERIT Twinning Project R&I Stakeholders Meeting at the University of Cyprus!

The TESTARE research management team participated in the R&I Stakeholders Meeting organised by the TWIN4MERIT Twinning Project, which took place on 23 January 2024 at University of Cyprus (UCY).

The meeting was focused on one of the objectives of the TWIN4MERIT Project, which is to improve the research landscape of Cyprus in the interdisciplinary field of Management and Economics of Research and Innovation. Additionally, the meeting marked the launch of the Cyprus R&I Managers and Administrators Network, and a crucial discussion was held on the profession, including the role and training needs of R&I Managers and Administrators.

The participation in this meeting by TESTARE was part of the team’s efforts to boost research management and administration for a healthy research ecosystem at UCY, which aligns with the goals of the TWIN4MERIT project.

Training on “Strategies for highly efficient and stable perovskite photovoltaics” by IMEC at the University of Cyprus.

On 28 June 2023, Dr. Anurag Krishna from our partner organisation, the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC), visited us at the University of Cyprus and delivered a targeted training on the “Strategies for highly efficient and stable perovskite photovoltaics” to the TESTARE project team.

The training presented an opportunity for the TESTARE Researchers to improve their insight on perovskite PV technology development, which is important when trying to understand stability and field reliability results from perovskite devices.

PHAETHON CoE 2024 Internship Programme | A Great Opportunity for undergraduate students!

PHAETHON CoE, University of Cyprus invites undergraduate students of Electrical, Mechanical, and Computer Engineering, as well as Mathematics and/or Physics, to join the Centre for a tailored summer internship at the University of Cyprus.

Join a cohort of like-minded interns from across the globe and gain the know-how to accelerate your career, through technical coursework, workshops, and hands-on experiments!

Learn more here

ONISILOS MSCA COFUND Second Call for Proposals at the University of Cyprus

Accepting applications from PhD holders for the “ONISILOS – Co-funding International, Interdisciplinary and Intersectoral research excellence at the University of Cyprus”

Are you a post-doctoral researcher thinking about your next career move? Then the ONISILOS MSCA COFUND Second Call at the University of Cyprus might be of interest to you!

Join Professor George E. Georghiou’s group and start an MSCA journey working alongside UCY academics in the scientific fields of smart energy and mobility solutions, renewable energy sources and photovoltaics, renewable energy and cloud computing, computer modelling and simulations, damage and degradation of photovoltaics or plasma physics.

The ONISILOS project aims to develop a fellowship programme for Experienced Researchers (ERs) with an international, intersectoral, and interdisciplinary character in order to enhance research conducted at the University of Cyprus.

Candidate Profile:

· You must hold a PhD degree of a recognized higher education institution before 23 February 2024.

· Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in Cyprus for more than 12 months, in the 3 years immediately before the call of application deadline.

Interested candidates can submit their application online on the ONISILOS Portal here.

Deadline to submit your proposal: 23 February 2024 (17:00 EEST)

If you are interested in being part of our team, then select Prof. Georghiou as your Primary Supervisor in the 1st step of your application.

More detailed information can be found on the ONISILOS website here and all scientific areas can be found here.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Follow ONISILOS on Social Media:

LinkedIn

Facebook

Twitter

Find the Guide for Applicants here

Find the ONISILOS second call Announcement here

Towards accurate and reliable IV and spatially-resolved EL/PL measurements of perovskite mini-modules.

Dr. Vasiliki Paraskeva, University of Cyprus (UCY), participated in a TESTARE project training titled “Towards accurate and reliable IV and spatially-resolved EL/PL measurements of perovskite mini-modules” at the Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE on 28–29 November 2023.

Dr. Paraskeva attended the training as part of the 3rd scientific exchange and training organised by Fraunhofer ISE, which aimed at the transfer of knowledge and expertise to UCY personnel regarding the accurate and precise IV testing of perovskite-based devices. UCY staff also benefitted from training on spatially resolved Electroluminescence/Photoluminescence (EL/PL) techniques.

The training, delivered by Dr. Clemens Baretzky (FMF) and Dr. Alexander Bett & Dr. Oliver Fischer (Fraunhofer ISE), is tied to the implementation of case studies associated with measurements inter-comparison on EL/PL characterization techniques and on round-robin campaign for IV testing of perovskite-based modules.

UCY FOSS Research Centre delegation visits PHAETHON project advanced partners

A delegation from the FOSS Research Centre of the University of Cyprus (UCY) visited the Project PHAETHON advanced partners between 27-31 November 2023, within the framework of the project’s technology transfer and best- practice exchange. The team spent two days, respectively, at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the University of Groningen (UG) in the Netherlands. During that time, the 15-member FOSS team benefitted from an in-depth look into key areas of organisation/operations and expertise, ranging from lab infrastructure organisation and lab expansion management to hydrogen storage and hydrogen-based energy systems. The visits also included extensive tours of dedicated labs and facilities, including SYSLAB (DTU) and Energy Academy Europe (UG).

About Project PHAETHON

The PHAETHON Teaming Project was submitted and awarded funding under the prestigious Horizon Europe “Teaming for Excellence” Call for Proposals. Along with the University of Cyprus (UCY), the other partners in the consortium are the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cyprus Seeds, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and the University of Groningen (UG) in the Netherlands. The project’s main outcome is to upgrade the highly successful UCY FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy to an autonomous and self-sustaining Centre of Excellence in the energy field. It also serves as an academic and professional conduit between three countries (Cyprus, Denmark, and The Netherlands), jointly tackling the challenges and working towards facilitating the much-needed green transition.

Great news for EDDIE Project in which FOSS is participating: European Commission promotes strategic partnership for skills to advance the digitalisation of the energy system!

With the support of the European Commission, stakeholders from the energy industry have established a Large-scale Skills Partnership (LSP) under the EU Pact for Skills initiative, to boost skills development in the energy sector across Europe. The move is a further step in the EU response to the shortage of skills linked to the clean energy transition.

Read more in the article by the European Commission here: https://shorturl.at/cpLX4

Each member can register on the Pact for Skills website.

Find the LSP Registration Guidance here

The second TESTARE research-management webinar was successfully delivered by imec.

On the 4th of December 2023, imec successfully hosted the second TESTARE webinar on research management. This seminar focused on transferring best practices on EU project management at different project stages, and on data management within the context of EU projects. Representing the Public R&D Policies programs Group of imec, Veroni Ballet presented on EU Project Management, whilst the R&D Data Manager of imec, Nele Schouteden, presented on Data Management. The webinar ended with a fruitful discussion in the context of the project task 2.7: “Boosting research management and administration skills at UCY”.

Our participation in the 6th International Conference on Perovskite Solar Cells and Optoelectronics (PSCO-2023)

“Workshop on Industrialization of Perovskite Thin Film Photovoltaic Technology (21 September 2023)”.

Dr. Maria Hadjipanayi from the DegradationLab team of the University of Cyprus participated in the 6th International Conference on Perovskite Solar Cells and Optoelectronics (PSCO-2023) which took place in Oxford, UK from 18th -20th September 2023. As part of TESTARE networking and dissemination activities, Dr. Hadjipanayi delivered a poster presentation of the DegradationLab team’s work on perovskite testing titled “Learning curves from long-term outdoor testing and indoor optoelectronic characterization of perovskite mini-modules”.

The PSCO conference programme included a combination of invited talks, contributing talks and poster presentations in an event which brought a broad spectrum of the perovskite community together to discuss and share knowledge on the latest advances in perovskite materials, devices and photophysical and optoelectronic properties, phenomena, and testing.

Additionally, this year the PSCO was combined with an industry day on the 21st September for interested PSCO and other participants to discuss Industrialization of Photovoltaics Thin Film Technology. Speakers from industry gave updates on the progress made and the challenges faced in this sector. Among them, Dr. Tom Aernouts, partner in TESTARE and representing IMEC/Solliance, presented long-term outdoor results from IMEC perovskite devices tested at the University of Cyprus in his talk ‘Scalable interface modifications to minimize cell to module performance gap’.

This work has been financed by the European Union through the TESTARE project (Grant ID: 101079488) and by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the DegradationLab project (Grant ID: INFRASTRUCTURES/1216/0043).

Gantner Instruments VP presented at 2023 European PVPMC Workshop

Mr. Sutterlueti outlined the importance of leveraging advanced performance models and data-driven solutions, citing the work undertaking in conjunction with the FOSS Research Centre.

Juergen Sutterlueti, Vice President, Energy Segment and Marketing at Gantner Instruments, delivered an insightful presentation on “data-driven predictive analytics & system monitoring workflows for streamlined utility-scale photovoltaic power plant failure diagnosis” at the 2023 European PVPMC Workshop. During his presentation, he underscored the importance of leveraging advanced performance models, in view of the anticipated surge in the global PV market, to enhance operational and maintenance (O&M) strategies, boost energy production, and minimise downtime.

In this context, Mr. Sutterlueti also touched upon the Analytics Project, powered by PV Technology, FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy, dealing with advanced system monitoring & analytics for smart grids.

The 2023 PV Performance Modelling Conference, which took place in Medrisio, Switzerland, between 8 and 9 November, examined the technical challenges and opportunities related to PV performance modelling and the digitalisation of the PV sector, with a specific focus on ground mounted and building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. It was hosted by SUPSI PVLab, with contributions from Sandia National Laboratories, IEA PVPS Task 13 and Task 15.

For more insights and to download our valued partner’s 2023 PVPMC Workshop presentation, please visit: https://hubs.ly/Q029pFdF0.

Professor Papanastasiou (re)presented PHAETHON CoE at the 11th Cyprus Energy Symposium

Professor Panos Papanastasiou was an invited speaker at this year’s Cyprus Energy Symposium, delivering a presentation on PHAETHON CoE, the newest Centre of Excellence to be inaugurated in Cyprus that aims to serve as a catalyst for excellence in the energy field, focusing on the development of solutions and applications that can address a wide range of contemporary global energy challenges.

Professor Papanastasiou, of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and of the FOSS Research Centre of the University of Cyprus (UCY), was speaking at the event’s second session on “Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency”. During his presentation, he outlined the PHAETHON CoE’s path towards a world-class autonomous and self-sustained Centre of Excellence, touching upon its diversification of activities, core research themes, and smart energy infrastructure.

It is worth noting that PHAETHON CoE is being established through the eponymous Teaming for Excellence Horizon Europe project, having secured €15 million in funding from the EU, as well as complementary funding in excess of €30 million, signalling in parallel the evolution and upgrade of the FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy. Along with UCY, the other partners in the consortium are the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cyprus Seeds, the Technical University of Denmark, and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

The landmark event in Cyprus’ energy sector, which was once again jointly organised by the Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE) and FMW Financial Media Way, took place on 31 October 2023 at the Royal Hall Hotel in Nicosia. As previously, the Symposium brought together senior government officials, energy professionals, energy company executives, decision-makers, and academics across Cyprus, Greece, SE Europe, and the Middle East, to meaningfully engage with and chart the next steps in the energy future of Cyprus.

The President of the Republic of Cyprus, H.E. Mr. Nicos Christodoulides was this year’s keynote speaker, with welcome addresses delivered, among others, by the President of the House of Representatives, Ms. Annita Demetriou, the Greek Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Theodoros Skylakakis, and the Cyprus Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Mr. George Papanastasiou.

This year’s Energy Symposium was especially topical, given the rapid developments in the regional, European and global energy scene, as a result of the continuing war in Ukraine, the efforts undertaken by the EU to wean itself off natural gas imports from Russia, the latest flare-up in the Middle East, on account of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the broader geopolitical and economic realignments, the global effects of the unfolding energy crisis, as well as the ongoing threats and provocative actions by Turkey in the EEZ of Cyprus.

In this context, Professor Papanastasiou’s presentation of the nascent Centre of Excellence was notable, given PHAETHON’s Research and Innovation focus on intelligent, efficient, and sustainable energy solutions, aligned to the European Green Deal priorities. This remit places PAHETHON CoE at the heart of the energy ecosystem in Cyprus, the region, and worldwide, in the common pursuit to ensure a more sustainable and secure energy future.

Educational Visit by PASCAL Private English School Lefkosia

The FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy welcomed a group of PASCAL Private English School Lefkosia students on 24 October 2023, visiting as part of their Renewable Energy & Environmental Club activities.

During their visit, the students had the opportunity to learn more about the latest in Renewable Energy Sources, particularly Photovoltaics, as well as be exposed to related technologies through a hands-on approach. Moreover, the on-site demonstrations by FOSS researchers covered exciting and timely energy topics such as storage, e-mobility, green hydrogen, and smart cities.

The visit falls under the educational activities of the FOSS Research Centre (which is transforming to PHAETHON CoE). Interested parties can book a free educational visit at 22-892211.

FOSS Research Centre and Human Resource Development Authority Sign Memorandum of Understanding / Υπογραφή Σύμβασης και Μνημονίου Συνεργασίας μεταξύ της ΑνΑΔ και της Ερευνητικής Μονάδας ΦΩΣ του Πανεπιστημίου Κύπρου

The Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA) and FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy have entered into an MoU that will facilitate free vocational training programmes on the Green Economy, targeting the upskilling or reskilling of upwards of 2,000 people in the Cyprus labour market.

This directly connects to the Education pillar of FOSS, on the road to its transformation to PHAETHON CoE

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Δωρεάν προγράμματα κατάρτισης για 2.000 άτομα για απόκτηση γνώσεων και δεξιοτήτων που σχετίζονται με την πράσινη οικονομία.

Στις 12 Οκτωβρίου 2023 υπογράφηκε Σύμβαση και Μνημόνιο Συνεργασίας μεταξύ της Αρχής Ανάπτυξης Ανθρώπινου Δυναμικού Κύπρου (ΑνΑΔ) και της Ερευνητικής Μονάδας Ενεργειακής Αειφορίας ΦΩΣ του Πανεπιστημίου Κύπρου, το οποίο μετεξελίσσεται σε Κέντρο Αριστείας PHAETHON (ΦΑΕΘΩΝ), με σκοπό την οργάνωση και υλοποίηση προγραμμάτων κατάρτισης για απόκτηση γνώσεων και δεξιοτήτων που σχετίζονται με την πράσινη οικονομία. Το Μνημόνιο Συνεργασίας υπέγραψαν ο κύριος Γιάννης Μουρουζίδης, Γενικός Διευθυντής της ΑνΑΔ και ο Καθηγητής Γεώργιος Η. Γεωργίου, Υπεύθυνος Εργαστηρίου Φωτοβολταϊκής Τεχνολογίας, Ερευνητική Μονάδα Ενεργειακής Αειφορίας ΦΩΣ του Πανεπιστημίου Κύπρου. Τη Σύμβαση υπέγραψαν ο κύριος Γιάννης Μουρουζίδης, Γενικός Διευθυντής της ΑνΑΔ και ο κύριος Μενέλαος Μενελάου, Αναπληρωτής Διευθυντής Διοίκησης και Οικονομικών του Πανεπιστημίου Κύπρου.

Η υπογραφείσα Σύμβαση προνοεί την υλοποίηση 148 προγραμμάτων κατάρτισης για την κατάρτιση 2.000 περίπου ατόμων με εκτιμώμενη δαπάνη €722.160. Το θεματολόγιο των προγραμμάτων κατάρτισης εστιάζεται σε διάφορους θεματικούς τομείς, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των φωτοβολταϊκών συστημάτων, του έξυπνου δικτύου και των σύγχρονων τεχνολογιών, της ηλεκτροκίνησης, των ανερχόμενων τεχνολογιών και των έξυπνων πράσινων πόλεων. Τα προγράμματα κατάρτισης προσφέρονται δωρεάν και δικαιούχοι συμμετοχής σε αυτά είναι απασχολούμενοι στον ιδιωτικό, δημόσιο και ευρύτερο δημόσιο τομέα, αυτοαπασχολούμενοι και άνεργοι.

Η ΑνΑΔ υλοποιεί το έργο «Προγράμματα κατάρτισης για απόκτηση γνώσεων και δεξιοτήτων που σχετίζονται με την πράσινη οικονομία» στο πλαίσιο του Σχεδίου Ανάκαμψης και Ανθεκτικότητας Κύπρου (2021-2026). Το έργο χρηματοδοτείται από τον Μηχανισμό Ανάκαμψης και Ανθεκτικότητας της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης – NextGenerationEU μέσω του Σχεδίου Ανάκαμψης και Ανθεκτικότητας Κύπρου.

Περισσότερες πληροφορίες εδώ.

Join us at the start of our journey!

The University of Cyprus and FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy have the pleasure of inviting you to attend the High-Level Kick-Off Ceremony for the Teaming for Excellence Project

PHAETHON, marking the launch towards the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation for Intelligent, Efficient and Sustainable Energy Solutions.

PHAETHON is a Teaming for Excellence Horizon Europe project that will lead to the establishment of the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Research and Innovation (R&I) in the field of Intelligent, Efficient and Sustainable Energy Solutions, signalling in parallel the evolution and upgrade of the existing FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy of the University of Cyprus.

The project secured funding of €15 million from the EU, as well as an equal amount from national sources, with significant funding also coming in from the private and public sectors. Along with the University of Cyprus, the other partners in the consortium are the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cyprus Seeds, the Technical University of Denmark, and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

When: Wednesday, 11 October 2023 at 09:00 – 14:00 EEST
Where: University of Cyprus, New Campus Amphitheatre B108, Council-Senate Building “Anastasios G. Leventis”

RSVP
Agenda

Dr. Elias Peraticos Presented the DegradationLab team’s work on Perovskite Photovoltaics at the 40th EU PVSEC 2023

As part of the Horizon Europe TESTARE and Infrastructures DegradationLab Projects

On 19 September 2023, the post-doctoral researcher Elias Peraticos of the DegradationLab team delivered a poster presentation on “Correlative microscopy and spectroscopy of perovskite mini-modules: degradation analysis” at the 40th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2023).

Dr. Peraticos participated in the landmark event as part of the EU-funded project “TESTARE”, Twinning for excellence in TEsting new generation PV: Long-term STAbility and field Reliability, as well as the RIF’s DegradationLab project.

The EU PVSEC is the largest international Conference for Photovoltaic research, technologies, and applications, with the conference's scientific programme coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre. At the same time, the EU PVSEC serves as a PV Industry Exhibition, where specialised PV Industry presents technologies, innovations, and new concepts in the upstream PV sector. In this vein, the global PV community comes together under the auspices of the annual gathering to present and discuss the latest developments in Photovoltaics, as well as to network and conduct business.

This year’s edition of the EU PVSEC, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal, between 18 and 22 September 2023, celebrated the 40-year-long history of the science-to-science and science-to-industry platform that is uniquely focused on the global PV Solar sector.

This work has been financed by the European Union through the TESTARE project (Grant ID: 101079488) and by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the DegradationLab project (Grant ID: INFRASTRUCTURES/1216/0043).

Dr. George Makrides presented on the advancements in data-driven solar analytics for utility-scale plants at the 40th EU PVSEC

As part of the SOLAR-ERA.NET Project PV-ANALYTIC

Last week, FOSS Research Centre Special Scientist George Makrides delivered an oral presentation on the advancements in data-driven solar analytics and reliable failure diagnosis for utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants, at the 40th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2023). The work was performed jointly with Gantner Instruments GmbH and Steve Ransome Consulting Ltd.

Dr. Makrides attended the landmark event to disseminate the latest results of the transnational PV-ANALYTIC project, which aimed to advance the field of data-driven O&M by presenting data-driven solutions for accurate performance predictions and fault classification at utility-scale PV power plants.

The EU PVSEC is the largest international Conference for Photovoltaic research, technologies, and applications, with the conference's scientific programme coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre. At the same time, the EU PVSEC serves as a PV Industry Exhibition, where specialised PV Industry presents technologies, innovations, and new concepts in the upstream PV sector. In this vein, the global PV community comes together under the auspices of the annual gathering to present and discuss the latest developments in Photovoltaics, as well as to network and conduct business.

This year’s edition of the EU PVSEC, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal, between 18 and 22 September 2023, celebrated the 40-year-long history of the science-to-science and science-to-industry platform that is uniquely focused on the global PV Solar sector.

PV-ANALYTIC is supported under the umbrella of SOLAR-ERA.NET Cofund 2 by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) of Cyprus (P2P/SOLAR/0818/0012).

Dr. George Makrides presented on grid stability and ancillary services in distributed systems at a Parallel Event of the 40th EU PVSEC

Last week, FOSS Research Centre Special Scientist George Makrides delivered an oral presentation on operational stability and ancillary services in distribution grids, alongside the work planned and performed to date by the TRUST-PV project in the domain of fast grid controls from power plant controllers demonstrated at real-time simulation environments, at the 40th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2023).

Dr. Makrides was attending the EU PVSEC “Reliable and Friendly Integration of Next-Generation PV plants in EU Grids” Parallel Event, on behalf of TRUST-PV, which aims to demonstrate increase in performance and reliability of PV components and PV systems in large portfolios of distributed and/or utility-scale PV.

The EU PVSEC is the largest international Conference for Photovoltaic research, technologies, and applications, with the conference's scientific programme coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre. At the same time, the EU PVSEC serves as a PV Industry Exhibition, where specialised PV Industry presents technologies, innovations, and new concepts in the upstream PV sector. In this vein, the global PV community comes together under the auspices of the annual gathering to present and discuss the latest developments in Photovoltaics, as well as to network and conduct business.

This year’s edition of the EU PVSEC, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal, between 18 and 22 September 2023, celebrated the 40-year-long history of the science-to-science and science-to-industry platform that is uniquely focused on the global PV Solar sector.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement N952957.

Dr. Andreas Livera Presented his Latest Work on PV Systems at the 40th EU PVSEC 2023

Last week, our post-doctoral researcher Andreas Livera delivered a poster presentation on “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Decision-Making for Photovoltaic (PV) Plant Diagnostics Using Image and Electrical Data Analysis” at the 40th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2023).

Dr. Livera participated in the landmark event as part of the Research & Innovation (R&I) project AID4PV, which aims to investigate, develop, and demonstrate in operational environment an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) decision-making and modular approach to support PV plant diagnosis using EL, RGB, and IRT imagery, correlated with electrical data analysis.

The EU PVSEC is the largest international Conference for Photovoltaic research, technologies, and applications, with the conference's scientific programme coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre. At the same time, the EU PVSEC serves as a PV Industry Exhibition, where specialised PV Industry presents technologies, innovations, and new concepts in the upstream PV sector. In this vein, the global PV community comes together under the auspices of the annual gathering to present and discuss the latest developments in Photovoltaics, as well as to network and conduct business.

This year’s edition of the EU PVSEC, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal, between 18 and 22 September 2023, celebrated the 40-year-long history of the science-to-science and science-to-industry platform that is uniquely focused on the global PV Solar sector.

The AID4PV project is supported under the umbrella of SOLAR-ERA.NET Cofund 2 Additional Joint Call by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI, IDI-20210170) in Spain, the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT, Τ12ΕΡΑ5-00042) in Greece and the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF, P2P/SOLAR/1019/0012) in Cyprus.

PV Magazine Features First Hybrid Nanogrid System in Cyprus by FOSS Research Centre and Ecotricity Holdings

The PV Magazine article titled Cyprus starts first nanogrid project (published on 18 September) highlights the pioneering work undertaken by Foss Research Centre for Sustainable Energy and Ecotricity Holdings Ltd, under the EU-funded Project BERLIN, in establishing the first hybrid nanogrid system in Cyprus.

The main objective of the nanogrid involved transforming the existing FOSS infrastructure into a Living Lab, whereby the site’s energy consumption can be fulfilled by the energy production from the integrated PV system and the stored energy from the battery energy storage system (BESS). Moreover, the living lab environment enables researchers, industry, regulators, and policy-makers to collaborate, co-create, test, and evaluate new technologies, products, services, and policies in real-world settings.

In this context, the first-of-its-kind nanogrid system in Cyprus substantively supports the ongoing quest towards the much-needed Energy Transition, having also yielded greatly reduced on-site energy consumption costs, while nullifying the power system’s carbon footprint in the process.

In line with the above, “The main benefits of nanogrids for Cypriot consumers is to provide cheaper and cleaner electricity from renewables, and improved self-consumption from renewable technologies such as solar,” says George E. Georghiou, Head of PV Technology Lab. Professor Georghiou outlines several other potential benefits of nanogrids in the PV Magazine article, which stem from their operational mode and size, opening up opportunities for ancillary market services, aggregation, and the implementation of new business models.

Click on the link here to access the full PV Magazine article.

Project PANTERA Final Review Meeting Underscores the Benefits of Pan-European Collaboration in the Energy Field

The Final Review Meeting for the Horizon 2020 PANTERA Project took place on 13 September 2023, marking four and a half years of dedicated, collaborative work among the consortium partners towards bridging the gaps in Research & Innovation (R&I) in the energy field between EU Member States.

The meeting was led by Dr. Venizelos Efthymiou, FOSS Chairman, and attended by representatives from partner organisations based in Bulgaria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, and Norway.

The FOSS Research Centre of the University of Cyprus served as the Coordinator of this H2020 project, which identified and implemented targeted initiatives aimed at levelling the participation of EU countries to a common energy market for the benefit of all EU citizens.

More specifically, the project’s goals were furthered through the launch of an interactive, multifunctional collaborative platform called “EIRIE”; a reference platform and one-stop shop for information sharing, collaboration, and knowledge creation aimed at supporting the advancement of R&I activities in Smart Grids at the national, regional, and pan-European level -- in service of facilitating the Energy Transition. Visit “EIRIE” here.

We would like to extend a huge thanks to our consortium partners, other European projects and the European Commission, to whom we are immensely grateful for bringing EIRIE into a reality!

Project ELECTRA workshop provides cutting-edge insights and tangible tools for unlocking PV systems' potential

An online workshop on “Modernising the distribution grid for enabling high penetration of photovoltaic electricity through advanced data analytic operational observability and management”, was organised by the PV Technology Laboratory, UCY on 7 August 2023, in closing out the three-year project ELECTRA, funded through the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation.

The workshop provided cutting-edge insights and extensive technical information in the area of data-driven flexibility tools that ensure grid-friendly integration of renewables in smart grids, welcoming participants from academia and industry from around the world (Cyprus, Europe, and the EMMENA region).

The participants, which included project developers and EPCs, as well as investors, consultants and researchers in the renewable energy sector and smart grids, had the opportunity to get in-field knowledge of next-generation grid-supportive tools and the latest technology developments that enable optimised distribution grid operations at high renewable shares.

The workshop was moderated by Dr. George Makrides of the University of Cyprus, who served as the ELECTRA Project Coordinator. He presented the novel data-driven tools and concepts for modernised grids developed throughout the project lifecycle. This was followed up by a demonstration of the two main in-market tools emanating from the project, namely, SUNCASTER and DER-Manager, by Dr. Spyros Theocharides of the University of Cyprus.

Thereafter, Dr. Venizelos Venizelou, representing the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority, outlined the regulatory framework of Cyprus’ electricity market, as well as the anticipated roadmap towards the Energy Transition. On his part, Alexandros Stylianides, representing the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, charted the energy policy framework that is explicitly geared towards higher renewable shares, within the context of Cyprus’ updated National Energy and Climate Plan for 2030.

For more info about Project ELECTRA, please visit: https://fosscy.eu/projects/electra

The ELECTRA project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation with protocol number: INTEGRATED/0918/0071.

7 th International Conference on Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency (RESEE2023)

RESEE2023 will take place between 12-14 October in Nicosia, Cyprus, serving as a pivotal gathering of key stakeholders in the energy sector committed to advancing the renewable energy transition.

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry (MECI) of Cyprus, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), are co-organising the 7th International Conference on Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency (RESEE2023). The conference has been placed under the auspices of His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides.

The FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy actively supports the International Conference through its Head of PV Technology Lab, Professor George E. Georghiou, who is serving as a Co-Chair on the RESEE2023 Organising Committee. At the same time, FOSS researchers will be presenting their original work under the key themes of the project.

The upcoming conference will serve as a platform for researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and experts from around the world to come together for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the exploration of cutting-edge advancements in the field of sustainable energy. Moreover, the conference will showcase the original research work carried out by both senior and young scientists in universities, research centres, public authorities, and private enterprises from over a dozen countries, covering a wide spectrum of topics in the transition to renewable energy.

For submission guidelines, paper template, and to submit your paper, please click here.

For more general information, please visit the RESEE 2023 website.

Opportunity for Students to Participate in Training Program at the Technical University of Sofia

The intensive training will take place between 21-26/08/2023, covering the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Devices and Energy consumption monitoring with energy meters, as part of the ERASMUS+ JAUNTY Project

Five students (3rd year graduate or post graduate) have the opportunity to participate in the hands-on experimental labs organised by the Technical University of Sofia (TUS) as part of the Erasmus+ project, Joint undergraduate courses for smart energy management systems (JAUNTY). This intensive week-long training will take place at TUS on 21/8/2023 – 26/8/2023.

The activity concerns a comprehensive set of pilot laboratory exercises for the courses “Introduction to the Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Devices" and "Energy consumption monitoring with energy meters and security aspects ". The students will be guided through a series of hands-on exercises, accessing the laboratories of TUS and also remote accessing partner labs as well. The students will gain valuable knowledge, hands-on experience and interaction with experts in the field.

Expenses for travel, room and board, up to €565 per student will be covered by the project.

Learn more here

APPLY HERE by the 4th of August 2023 the latest.

Internship Programme 2023

On Monday, 31 July 2023, we celebrated and thanked the talented group of students that interned with us at the PV Technology, FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy of the University of Cyprus. This year’s interns joined us from a number of distinguished universities, including the University of Cambridge Princeton University, Imperial College London and The University of Edinburgh.

Interns had the opportunity to engage in challenging real-world problems and to improve their know-how in the area they are passionate about, whilst gaining valuable work experience! Their final project presentations engaged with thematics such as failure detection, smart grids, green hydrogen technologies, energy forecasting, and Geographic Information Systems.

Professor George E. Georghiou expressed his special thanks to them for their hard work, ethos, and dedication during their time with us, underscoring that “engineering is global; we are all one society, trying to be part of the climate change solution”.

The FOSS UCY team wishes Elia, Mark, Petros, Lucas Ng, Marios, Panayiotis, Leonidas, Fanourios, Evagoras, Loukas, and Christos every success with their future pursuits!

Great success for the 1st Cypriot PV Workshop, a Joint Event of the “DegradationLab” and “TESTARE” Projects!

The “1st Cypriot PV Workshop: DegradationLab – TESTARE Joint Event”, was successfully held at the University of Cyprus on the 27th of June 2023 with presentations from local and international speakers on the latest trends in Research and Development in Photovoltaics (PVs) in Cyprus and beyond.

Representatives from the local and international scientific community, the industry and enterprises, as well as young researchers and stakeholders in the PV energy sector, joined this hybrid event, gaining a lot of benefits, from opportunities for networking to new knowledge on new-generation PVs. Most importantly, the participants had the unique chance to access the new facilities developed under the “DegradationLab” infrastructure project during an Open Day session!

Organized by the University of Cyprus, this is the 1st Workshop of its kind in Cyprus that provided the participants both with the scientific background in the field of new-generation PV and emerging technologies and the technical background as well as in-field knowledge of the work carried out in the “DegradationLab” project and the research activities of the recently started “TESTARE” project.

The event was a Sustainable Energy Day within the framework of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW).
We would like to express our sincere thanks to all speakers and participants for joining us!
Stay tuned for our upcoming research activities!

The DegradationLab project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation (INFRASTRUCTURES/1216/0043).
The TESTARE project is funded by the European Union (101079488).

Professor George E. Georghiou presented the “PHAETHON Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence for Intelligent, Efficient and Sustainable Energy Solutions”

On the 19th of June 2023, Professor George E. Georghiou presented the “PHAETHON Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence for Intelligent, Efficient and Sustainable Energy Solutions” at the Sustainable Energy Day event organized by Europe Direct Nicosia - University of Cyprus with the support of Cyprus Energy Agency in the context of the Sustainable Energy Week 2023 (EUSEW2023). Participants had the opportunity to learn more about FOSS, its transformation to excellence, as well as the vision, activities and infrastructure of the new Centre of Excellence.

Presentation by Dr. Andreas K. Athienitis, Professor of Building Engineering at Concordia University in Canada

Recently, we had the great honor to host at the PV Technology Lab, FOSS (UCY), Dr. Andreas K. Athienitis, Professor of Building Engineering at Concordia University in Canada.

Professor Athienitis presented to our team on “Electrifying Society: Towards Decarbonized Resilient Communities”, with special reference to the funding received from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund for the implementation of an ambitious research programme designed to apply novel technologies to create innovative energy sources, secure critical infrastructure and deliver affordable, green energy under diverse conditions in municipalities and communities across Canada.

A fruitful discussion followed with interesting observations regarding building decarbonized and sustainable communities.

Professor Athienitis is the Scientific Director of the NSERC Smart Net-zero Energy Buildings Strategic Research Network and the founding Director of the NSERC Solar Buildings Research Network. His research expertise is in solar energy engineering, energy efficiency, optimization and control of building thermal systems, building integrated photovoltaics and daylighting.

Learn more about the electrification in Concordia here: https://www.concordia.ca/next-gen/electrifying-society.html

Biography of Professor Andreas K. Athienitis here: https://www.concordia.ca/research/zero-energy-building/faculty.html?fpid=andreas-athienitis

The epilogue of the H2020 “PANTERA” Project in Brussels!

The epilogue of the “PANTERA” project was marked successfully in Brussels on the 19th of June 2023 with the active participation of representatives from the DG ENER and the JRC of the European Commission, as well as experts and stakeholders who have contributed to shape innovative concepts and tools.

The end of “PANTERA” project, marks a new era: The starting point of a rich future through EIRIE platform! EIRIE is an interactive multi-functional collaborative platform aiming to offer interoperable connectivity that can be by-directional and its vision is to become a reference operational point to unify European activity, incentivize further investments in smart grids, storage and local energy systems, support access to exploitable results that can spark further cooperation and bridge the existing gaps.

The final event emphasized the importance of EIRIE as a landmark for the R&I community of EU, EIRIE’s benefits and its key functionalities and how the strong voice of the stakeholders guided the evolution of the EIRIE platform. The project achieved bridging the gaps between researchers and entrepreneurs in the energy field, and between Member States in Europe, by bringing together and promoting successful national, regional or European partnerships.

PANTERA/EIRIE Webinar in collaboration with EERA JP Smart Grids: EIRIE a knowledge collaborative platform in support of R&I

Join the Webinar “EIRIE a knowledge collaborative platform in support of R&I”, which is jointly organized by the EERA Joint Programme on Smart Grids and the PANTERA project on June 28th, 2023 from 14.00 to 15:30 CEST.

PANTERA launched the EIRIE multifunctional platform aimed to be a single point of reference for the EU Research & Innovation field on smart energy systems and green technologies. EIRIE is also aimed to support overcoming the barriers that still limit the involvement at EU level of R&I actors. In this view EIRIE offers:

- Networking opportunities, encouraging synergies with projects and initiatives.
- Information sharing and promotion opportunities through highlighting key achievements.
- Fostering the engagement of low R&I spending countries in EU level activities.

REGISTER here
Lear more about EIRIE here

Presentation of the PV-ANALYTIC project results at the 50th IEEE PVSC Conference in Puerto Rico!

The novel data analytic results for utility-scale PV power plants and demonstrated microgrid applications of our SOLAR-ERA.NET project “PV-ANALYTIC” were presented at the 50th IEEE PVSC Conference held last week in Puerto Rico. The work presented is a collaboration with a leading industrial company, Gantner Instruments.

The project “PV-ANALYTIC” was supported under the umbrella of SOLAR-ERA.NET Cofund 2 by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) of Cyprus (P2P/SOLAR/0818/0012).

Join us at the Sustainable Energy Day 2023 organized by Europe Direct Nicosia – University of Cyprus!

Professor George E. Georghiou will be presenting the “PHAETHON Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence for Intelligent, Efficient and Sustainable Energy Solutions” on Tuesday, 20th of June 2023, at 9.30 – 12.00 at the University of Cyprus (room LRC014 - Learning Resource Centre – Library “Stelios Ioannou”). The event is organized by Europe Direct Nicosia - University of Cyprus, with the support of Cyprus Energy Agency in the context of the Sustainable Energy Week 2023 (EUSEW 2023)!

Join us and attend a number of interesting presentations from invited speakers on the topics of REPowerEU, energy poverty, energy saving in public buildings and sustainable energy solutions!

Find the event agenda here: https://bit.ly/43tV2jr
REGISTER here: https://bit.ly/3qC5abC

Best Poster Award at the 50th IEEE PVSC for the presentation of Dr. Spyros Theocharides!

Excellent News!

The poster presentation of Dr. Spyros Theocharides on “Evaluating the Weather Forecasting Models and the Impact to PV Generation Forecasting”, was nominated for the best poster award in area 10 [Power Electronics and Grid Integration], in the 50th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference 2023 (50th IEEE PVSC) in San Juan, Puerto Rico! The presentation reflected the “FEVER” project activities.

This Best Poster Award recognizes outstanding work by poster presenters at the PVSC. Our warmest congratulations to Spyros for achieving this award!

Dr. Andreas Livera presenting the “ROM-PV” project in the 50th IEEE PVSC in San Juan, Puerto Rico!

During this week, our Postdoctoral Researcher, Dr. Andreas Livera participates in the 50th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference 2023 (50th IEEE PVSC) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Conference marks a special occasion in PV history, the 50th gathering of the premier scientific and technical conference focused on all areas of photovoltaics!

On June 13th 2023, Dr. Livera delivered an oral presentation of the ROM-PV project activities on “Reducing the photovoltaic operation and maintenance costs through an autonomous control operation center”.

We would like to thank all the attendees from Cyprus, Spain, Greece and around the world for their active participation!

The activities are supported under the umbrella of SOLAR-ERA.NET Cofund 2 through the Cyprus Research Innovation Foundation (ROM-PV, P2P/SOLAR/0818/0009).

As the event continues, more presentations will follow by our Research Associates as part of the Conference in the next few coming days.

ROM-PV Online Workshop successfully completed

The online workshop of the SOLAR-ERA.NET “ROM-PV” project “Reducing the photovoltaic operation and maintenance (O&M) costs through an advanced online platform” has been successfully completed today, 8th of June 2023.

The consortium partners, PV Technology Laboratory of the University of Cyprus, Advances in Photovoltaic Technology Research Group of the University of Jaén and Alectris Hellas IKE, presented their activities and the work carried out in the “ROM-PV” project.

We would like to thank all the attendees from Cyprus, Spain, Greece and around the world for their active participation!

"The ROM-PV project is supported under the umbrella of SOLAR-ERA.NET Cofund 2 by the Cyprus Research Innovation Foundation (RIF, P2P/SOLAR/0818/0009), the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness – State Research Agency (MINECO-AEI, PCI2019-111852-2) and the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT, Τ11ΕΡΑ4-00023). SOLAR-ERA.NET is supported by the European Commission within the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation HORIZON 2020 (Cofund 2 ERA-NET Action, N° 786483).

Upcoming Vocational Training Course on "PV System Designer & Installer"!

We are glad to announce that another cycle of the Vocational Training Course on "PV System Designer and Installer" will commence in April 2023.

The course provides the necessary theoretical and practical background for the design and installation of small-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems thereby meeting the great need of businesses for specialized services in the field of grid-connected photovoltaic systems. More specifically, the program is needed for businesses aiming to acquire professional training skills in the design and installation of solar photovoltaic systems, in order to use the skills acquired to attract new customers and lay the foundations for their future jobs in this rapidly expanding sector.  Read more information about the programme here. 

REGISTRATIONS available online through the HRDA new tool "ERMIS" HERE


Course Dates: 
05/04, 07/04, 12/04, 19/04, 21/04 [Online]
26/04, 28/04, 03/05 [Physical Presence at the University of Cyprus] 
Exam: 31 May 2023