From the left: prof. dr hab. Maciej Nowak, Prorektor ds. Nauki i Rozwoju Kadry Akademickiej Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Katowicach; dr hab. inż. Marcin Staniek, prof. PŚ, Prorektor ds. Współpracy z Otoczeniem Społeczno-Gospodarczym Politechniki Śląskiej; dr hab. inż. Łukasz Bartela, prof. PŚ, kierownik projektu DEsire; dr hab. Mirosław Pawełczyka, prof. UŚ, Uniwersytet Śląski
The DEsire Energy Transformation Platform
Cooperation for the popularization and deepening of knowledge on various possible decarbonization pathways, development of legal and technical solutions related to energy transformation processes – these are the main assumptions of the DEsire Energy Transformation Platform, initiated by the Silesian University of Technology.
The DEsire Energy Transformation Platform is one of the results of the DEsire project implemented at the Silesian University of Technology concerning the decarbonization of the national energy sector in accordance with the idea of Coal-to-Nuclear transformation. The platform is open, and its idea is to establish cooperation between universities, research institutions and industry. The agreement was solemnly signed by representatives of the authorities of three universities from the region: Dr Hab. Eng. Marcin Staniek, Prof. SUT, Vice Rector for Collaboration with Civic and Economic Environment of the Silesian University of Technology, Dr Hab. Mirosław Pawełczyk, Prof. of the University of Silesia , representing the Rector of the University of Silesia and Prof. Dr Hab. Maciej Nowak, Vice-Rector for Science and Development of the Academic Staff of the University of Economics in Katowice.
– It is very important that such an agreement has been signed, we will bring together very different stakeholders from universities, institutions through local, as well as national government and industry. This will allow us to develop more beneficial solutions toward decarbonization of the region and the whole country, taking into account technical, legal and economic issues – said Dr Hab. Eng. Marcin Staniek, Prof. SUT, Vice Rector for Collaboration with Civic and Economic Environment of the Silesian University of Technology
The agreement will allow to define the principles of long-term cooperation in the scope of initiating and implementing joint research and development projects, as well as activities aimed at creating a science and research hub promoting the idea of just energy transition.
The DEsire project, under which the Energy Transformation Platform was created, is implemented in cooperation of the Silesian University of Technology with Energoprojekt-Katowice SA, the Institute of Chemistry and Nuclear Technology, the Sobieski Institute Foundation and the Ministry of Climate and Environment.
– We are already at the final stage of the project implementation, we are preparing a decarbonization plan, which the Ministry has committed to implement – said Dr Hab. Eng. Łukasz Bartela, Prof. SUT, the Head of the DEsire Project. – We prepare recommendations addressed to government administration offices, local government as well as institutions managing professional and industrial energy facilities, which is to enable the preparation of adequate legal regulations, so that this process runs in a sustainable way economically, socially, and environmentally. The DEsire Energy Transformation Platform will stimulate cooperation and engagement between different participants to help achieve the climate targets set by the European Commission.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering conducts several projects related to the energy transition. The meeting as part of the DEsire project seminar, which gathered about seventy representatives from the energy industry, was also an opportunity to present the assumptions of the new Net-Zero Poland project initiated by Prof. Dr Hab. Eng. Anna Skorek-Osikowska.
“As part of Net-Zero Poland, we will develop different paths to achieve net zero emissions in 2050. What distinguishes our assumptions from the assumptions that are the basis for preparing existing studies is the very high detail of the model. We will analyse solutions at the level of municipalities and counties. We want to show in a very objective, apolitical way, and without preference for any technology, how much the energy transition will cost. We will take into account various scenarios, as well as social costs, such as land use, jobs or health impacts,” explained Prof. Anna Skorek-Osikowska
The Net-Zero Poland project, led by Silesian University of Technology, has received funding of USD 2 million and will be implemented in cooperation with Princeton University in the United States, one of the best universities in the world and the Institute of Energy - National Research Institute.
