Project description
Centre of excellence for sustainable energy solutions in Greece
Achieving green goals and successfully transitioning to sustainable industries and energy sources requires strong support for researchers, scientists and innovations across the European Research Area. However, widening disparities in many EU countries, along with financial and resource constraints, often prevent researchers and innovators in these regions from advancing their work. The EU-funded EXCELLEND project seeks to unify all energy-related activities and groups within the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos by establishing a centre of excellence focused on sustainable energy solutions aligned with EU policies. The aim behind these efforts is to bridge gaps between research groups, increase research capacity, and expand topics and support in sustainable energy.
Objective
The proposed ERA Chair aims to bring all the scattered energy-related activities of NCSRD under the same umbrella through the creation of a unique Centre of Excellence (CoE), with a primary focus on sustainable energy solutions towards net-zero fossil fuels and climate-neutrality by 2050, perfectly aligned with relevant EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal. The ERA Chair will be established and hosted under this structure, integrated in INRASTES, with synergies and links with a variety of internal/external actors. The CoE operation will be primarily virtual, meaning that not all of its personnel will work under the same physical lab or building, but it will facilitate bridging the gaps across existing labs. The ERA Chair holder, Prof. Georgios Tsatsaronis (GT), will establish this CoE and coordinate the joint activities with the NCSRD labs and greatly expand the research topics. Due to his diverse skills and long-standing experience in the energy field, GT will increase the research potential by: (1) setting up and managing the CoE, (2) supervising and training its Team members, and (3) proceeding to institutional reforms inspired by his innovation culture via a range of service-oriented activities. GT will not only bring research excellence in the CoE, but also create synergies with a large range of stakeholders (e.g. research institutions, industry), and increase entrepreneurship by enhancing knowledge transfer and better use of results, aiming to upgrade the relevant services of the Innovation Office that are available to all NCSRD researchers. The vision of the CoE is to become one of the top groups for sustainable energy research in the EU and deepen the ERA, and replicate its lighthouse example in other Greek research actors to improve the local research Ecosystem.
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support ActionsCoordinator
15341 Agia Paraskevi
Greece