Green energy for Poland

About 93 % of Poland's energy comes from coal, which is out of step with EU greenhouse-emission requirements. Achieving the emission-reduction targets will require new technologies, involving replacement of conventional coal systems with near-zero emission alternatives.

The EU-funded SENERES (Sustainable energy research and development centre) has established a research centre to provide such developments. The venture continued the work of an earlier Centre of Excellence (CENERG, started in 2002). SENERES' goals were to extend Poland's Institute of Engineering, and to develop the needed low-emission energy technologies via research. Additionally, the SENERES Centre was intended to establish cooperative relationships with leading European research centres, to be achieved through visits and secondments. The project ran for three years, to August 2014.

SENERES organised around 62 person-months of secondments with other EU research centres, slightly less than planned. The researchers invited to SENERES shared their knowledge via a series of lectures and seminars.

The Centre created special mechanisms for recruitment of experienced researchers, and published the calls in several ways. The recruits worked for a total of 90 person-months, and successfully realised all planned research.

Highlights included investigation of fuel cells, combustion and oxy-combustion technologies, new materials, plus catalysts and process development. Additional research addressed fuel cell anode electrochemical oxidation carbon mechanisms, solid oxide single cell development, plus the implementation of pulverised-coal flameless oxidation. Finally among the study achievements, the team probed the concept of a low-emission pulverised slag tap boiler fired with agricultural biomass.

Visiting researchers helped the project inventory, maintain, or upgrade the Institute's research equipment. The group made a total of 19 major purchases.

SENERES organised three thematic workshops to facilitate knowledge transfer, a further six scientific seminars, and one training session about management of intellectual property. Research staff attended a total of 20 conferences and short training events.

Outcomes of the venture included improved research collaboration with European organisations and integration into the European Research Area. The research yielded new technologies, leading to drastic cuts in Poland's greenhouse emissions in line with EU guidelines.