Novel integration of gasification and electrolysis used for the production of sustainable fuels (GeniusFuels)

• Project No. TQ06000004
• Provider: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
• Project duration: 2024 - 2027
• Principal Investigator: doc. Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D.
• The international project focuses on the development of sustainable fuels by combining advanced thermochemical and catalytic processes. The research includes the modeling of biomass conversion, syngas purification, biochar characterization, and energy balances.

NCC PolyEnvi21 – National Competence Centre for Polymer Materials and Technologies for the 21st Century

• Project No. TN02000051
• Provider: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
• Project duration: 2023 - 2028
• Principal Investigator: doc. Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D.
• A project focused on the development of polymer materials and technologies with an emphasis on sustainability, recycling, and industrial application. The group contributes through research on the chemical recycling of polymer waste, characterization of waste plastics, pyrolysis, separation processes, and the evaluation of recycling products.

Waste as an alternative energy source

• Project No. CZ.02.01.01/00/23_021/0008590
• Provider: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
• Project duration: 2025 - 2028
• Principal Investigator: prof. Ing. Helena Raclavská, CSc.
• A project focused on the utilization of waste as a source of energy and raw materials for the chemical industry. The group is primarily involved in research on the capture, separation, and subsequent catalytic transformation of CO₂ into sustainable chemicals.

Regional and sustainable production of hydrogen from renewable sources

foodCircus - Circular Solutions for Keeping Food Waste Out of Central Europe's Schools

• Project duration: 2024 - 2026
• Provider: Ministry of Regional Development
• Principal Investigator: doc. Ing. Lucie Jezerská, Ph.D.
• An international project focused on preventing food waste in schools and its circular utilization. The group is mainly involved in research on the anaerobic digestion of food waste, biogas production, digestate quality assessment, and the optimization of biological processes for the energy utilization of biowaste.

AI-supported optimization of thermochemical processes for resource recovery from waste (AI-WASTE)

• Project No. TQ26000083
• Provider: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
• Project duration: 2026 - 2028
• Principal Investigator: Ing. Jakub Čespiva, Ph.D.
• Within the SIGMA program (TACR), the project focuses on the thermal processing of solid alternative fuels in a rotary kiln for the production of energy and raw materials. It utilizes AI-based computational models to optimize operations and increase process efficiency.

We base our research on a combination of laboratory and pilot-scale experiments, mass and energy balances, process modeling, and advanced analytics. We utilize pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis including cracking and dry reforming, combustion tests in a rotary kiln, anaerobic digestion, membrane separation, and catalytic hydrogenation in our research on waste management and its further utilization.

The group's research supports the safe and efficient use of waste as a source of energy, chemical raw materials, and materials. The results find application in the chemical recycling of plastics, energy recovery from waste, reduction of emissions from combustion processes, production of synthesis gas, biochar, and carbonaceous materials, optimization of biogas technologies, and material utilization of solid residues. They thus contribute to the more efficient use of secondary raw materials and the development of the circular economy.