The event, organised by the Energy Research Centre at CEET, together with the Department of Energy Engineering of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VŠB-TUO, attracted 130 participants. Over the course of three days, three conference halls were fully utilised for presentations by experts from both academia and the commercial sphere. The main mission of the conference was to connect researchers with industry experts, inspire innovation, and support joint solutions in a field focused on the close connection between energy and the environment.
"Organising the IEEC conference is a tremendous honour and privilege for us, as we are connecting the world of research with the world of industry," emphasised Jakub Čespiva from the Energy Research Centre at CEET. "We saw many amazing presentations and excellent contributions from renowned international authorities in the field," he added enthusiastically regarding the professional level of the event. The programme was divided into research and industrial sections, which focused on new solutions for industry and business, thermochemical conversion, hydrogen-based technologies, sustainable carbon management, life cycle assessment (LCA), and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
International Reach and Global Challenges
This year's edition confirmed the growing international prestige of the event, with delegates from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa arriving in the Beskydy Mountains. The strong international participation was praised by Professor Wei-Cheng Wang from the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, who presented his research on sustainable aviation fuel and green hydrogen to the participants. "We had seven professors from Taiwan here; the lectures were of an excellent standard, and we gained a lot of new knowledge here," he noted.
The international reach was also highlighted by Professor Katarzyna Chojnacka from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology in Poland. In the Tuesday session, she delivered a plenary lecture on digital passports for fertilisers, which she described as a necessary step for adapting modern science to the new legislative requirements on the European market. "The topic is extremely important for the industry, and the presence of practitioners makes this meeting even more beneficial," said Chojnacka, also appreciating the exceptionally open atmosphere and discussions with experts from South Korea, Italy, and Portugal.
From Theoretical Research to Innovations in Practice
According to the organisers, the main aspect of the event is the effective transfer of theoretical knowledge into the real world. Stanislav Mišák, Director of the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEET), described the recent edition as one of the best. "The conference is a unique gathering of company representatives who are trying to bring our solutions to life, and representatives from the state and public spheres," Mišák explained. "I see it as a very good ecosystem with a creative atmosphere, where the ideas presented here are subsequently successfully translated into practical applications," he added.
Industry representatives also had a significant voice at the event. A plenary lecture on the topic of hydrogen in the energy transition was delivered by Marek Krempaský from CEZ Group, who outlined the company's perspective on low-emission fuels and pilot hydrogen projects. "You can see that the level of the conference is constantly rising. The transition to an English format shows that the interest from abroad is truly significant," Krempaský assessed the development of the conference.
The conference was also attended by representatives of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, with the aim of gathering international feedback on the project calls it coordinates.
Outlook for the 30th Anniversary Edition
In addition to the lectures, participants enjoyed a rich accompanying programme designed to strengthen relationships across disciplines. They went on a joint hike to Lysá hora, took a tour of a local brewery, and concluded with a tour of the Energy Research Centre at CEET.
This year's conference was brought to a close by Karel Borovec, Director of the Energy Research Centre at CEET, who stated: "The twenty-ninth edition was truly a success. We had 130 participants from 15 countries. I would like to thank all the organisers for their excellent work, and I am looking forward to the next anniversary edition."