A cutting-edge strategic roadmap designed to turn solar energy into valuable chemical products has been recognized by the European Commission for its innovation and impact. The project’s development was led by Professor Joanna Kargul from the Centre for New Technologies at the University of Warsaw.
This achievement has been included in the European Commission’s Innovation Radar, a database showcasing the most forward-thinking initiatives supported by EU research funding. The Innovation Radar is a platform that identifies breakthrough technologies and innovators emerging from European-funded projects, making their insights more visible to investors, industry partners and the wider research community.
In early January the European Commission announced that the strategic roadmap, officially titled Strategic Roadmap for Solar-to-X: Guiding R&I Investments and Policy Alignment, will soon be featured on the platform. The roadmap was developed under the umbrella of the SUNER-C project (SUNERGY Community and Eco-system for Accelerating the Development of Solar Fuels and Chemicals), which received funding through the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.
The goal of the SUNER-C initiative has been to build a more integrated European community around renewable solar fuels and chemicals, bringing together top researchers, industry stakeholders and technology hubs from across the continent. In addition to the strategic roadmap, the project team also created an interactive mapping platform that allows users, from high-school students to seasoned professionals, to explore actors and capabilities across the solar energy value chain.
Professor Kargul, who represents the University of Warsaw within SUNER-C and sits on its governing board, has been instrumental throughout the three-year project. Beyond the roadmap, her team contributed to several research advances, including innovative concepts for greener solar energy conversion processes, new materials with enhanced solar capture properties, and a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda that aligns technological breakthroughs with societal and industrial needs.
This recognition from the European Commission not only highlights the scientific excellence at the University of Warsaw but also underscores the university’s role in shaping Europe’s transition to sustainable energy solutions.
The original content was published on the websites:
https://forumakademickie.pl/nauka_przez_duze_k/prof-joanna-kargul-wyhodowalismy-alge-do-zadan-specjalnych/ and https://www.uw.edu.pl/projekt-z-uw-doceniony-przez-komisje-europejska/
