International Scientific and Technical Conference in Rybnik
For the ninth time, the International Scientific and Technical Conference “Energy, environment, exploitation of minerals – management and sustainable development” was held at CKU (Continuing Education Centre) Rybnik – a branch of the Silesian University of Technology in Rybnik. The event was attended by the Minister of Industry – Marzena Czarnecka, the authorities of the Silesian University of Technology and scientists and experts from Poland and abroad.
During the three days of the meeting, participants discussed how to obtain energy, as well as the broadly understood environmental protection and issues related to energy, mining, education, health and safety.
– Conferences are a great place to exchange views, bold discussions, they are very inspiring. Active participation in such events brings excellent results. I am convinced that the conference “Energy, environment, exploitation of minerals – management and sustainable development,” right here in Rybnik, in a place strongly connected with the mining industry, is very necessary. It should be discussed and argued that the energy transformation is not so bad at all, it is simply badly communicated – said Dr Hab.Eng. Tomasz Trawiński, Prof. SUT , Vice-Rector for Infrastructure and Promotion.
The aim of the conference is also the integration of industry, universities, and self-government.
– This integration is supposed to help to make the local community aware of what awaits us, what we need to change not only in the mining industry, but also in the whole energy sector – added Stefan Czerwiński, the main organizer of the conference, the president of the Association of Alumni of the Silesian University of Technology., the branch in Rybnik.
The thematic scope of the conference was broad. The participants debated for three days, some of the topics switched to parallel sessions. – In order to talk about coal in Europe today, we need to have a lot of courage, but also imagination, to answer the question: What in return? All the more so because Polish power and heat generation are still based on the raw material, which is hard coal – said Dr Hab Zygmunt Łukaszczyk, Prof. SUT, the director of the Continuing Education Centre in Rybnik
– The changes that await us require, above all, a huge social awareness. We need systemic solutions, involving government, social partners, NGOs, and local governments. A clear, common position must be developed so that we can move forward in agreement,” added Professor Łukaszczyk.
As emphasized by the President of Rybnik Piotr Kuczera, the conference is to set certain trends and paths, defining changes in the economic profile of Silesia and how the energy transformation will take place. Rybnik is a city that implements modern hydrogen technologies.
- “In Rybnik there are as many as twenty buses powered by hydrogen, the most in Poland, we also have a hydrogen filling station. I strongly believe that in the coming years, thanks to scientists and business, hydrogen will be increasingly present in the economic transformation not only of Rybnik, but also of the entire region” – said Piotr Kuczera.
During the conference were also awarded Badges of Merit for the Silesian University of Technology.
Recipients:
- Dr Hab. Eng. Jan Kania, a retired employee of the Silesian University of Technology
- Józef Janowski, our university graduate and deputy president of the Association of Alumni of the Silesian University of Technology, branch in Rybnik.
