The University of Warsaw belongs to SUNRISE, a multidisciplinary consortium which aims at using sunlight to provide a sustainable alternative to the production of fossil-based, energy-intensive fuels and basic chemicals. On 17th-18th June, stakeholders of SUNRISE met in Brussels.
SUNRISE is one of the six preparatory actions addressing major technological and societal challenges in the areas of ICT, health and energy selected by the European Commission in 2018. It comprises 20 partners from 13 European countries, universities (e.g. the University of Warsaw, Leiden University, University of Uppsala, Imperial College of London), research centres (e.g. French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology), European associations companies (Siemens AG, Johnson Matthey and ENGIE). The University of Warsaw is represented by Prof. Joanna Kargul from the Centre of New Technologies.
On 17th-18th June, over 170 renewable energy experts from academia, industry and policy talked about the current state of this initiative and its priority research directions. They discussed how solar conversion by artificial photosynthesis for fuel and chemicals could contribute to climate neutrality and negative emissions by developing an ambitious yet realistic roadmap, and aligning action in research, innovation and industry policy – while ensuring the involvement of all the stakeholders.