The eagerly awaited First Advanced School, a pivotal element of the PROMISE project, kicked off on November 6, 2023 with resounding enthusiasm and promising prospects. The week-long event, has congregated experts and scholars from 21 countries worldwide to delve into cutting-edge developments in renewable energy and innovation.
With participants hailing from renowned institutions globally, the event witnessed a remarkable exchange of ideas and knowledge. The collaborative atmosphere fostered by this diverse group of experts holds the promise of groundbreaking outcomes and innovative solutions in the PV module and system sector.
The First Advanced School, jointly hosted by The Foundation for Innovation and Research – Malta and the PROMISE consortium, is poised to make significant strides in the field of Photovoltaics (PV) research and technology.
Dr Ing. Brian Azzopardi, coordinator of the PROMISE project and Chair of The Foundation for Innovation and Research – Malta, emphasized, “PROMISE project is providing the opportunity for Malta to become a hub test for emerging, field-tested, and prototyping Photovoltaics technology, creating living laboratories through its investment in a mini-research living laboratories infrastructure to support the PV community locally and internationally.”
Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, Keith Azzopardi Tanti, attended the inauguration session and officially opened the event.
Participating institutions included The Foundation for Innovation and Research – Malta, Hochschule Anhalt, Becquerel Institute, Austrian Institute of Technology, The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the National Renewable Energy Centre (CENER), Czech Technical University in Prague, and local technology innovator PIXAM Ltd., supported by the Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology, Visit Malta, and Projects Green.
This diverse representation not only underscores the European-wide interest and commitment to advancing renewable energy but also mirrors the collaborative spirit of the PROMISE project.
The PROMISE project and the Advanced School specifically serve as beacons of progress in Photovoltaic reliability operations and maintenance innovative solutions research. With the backing of the Maltese government and active participation from institutions across Europe, the future of sustainable energy appears brighter than ever, promising a sustained economy.
About the PROMISE Project:
The PROMISE project is a 3 year research and innovation project funded by the European Commission through a Twinning action (HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-03), as part of the Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence objective under Horizon Europe.
Malta has the highest solar irradiance of all EU Member States. PROMISE aims to sustain the scientific, engineering and research performance and innovation capacity of the Maltese Research Community on solar photovoltaics to prepare for the potential penetration increase of PV in Malta and to support the energy transition. The project is organised around:
- A research framework featuring a Malta-based platform to study of existing and emerging PV modules and systems, including digitalisation aspects for prediction and optimisation algorithms.
- A knowledge gain and transfer framework including capacity building activities, workshops, schools, training programmes, internships, mentoring, etc.
