On 10 June, the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) organised an event called ‘From a Validated Concept to a Prototype and Beyond’ at Cankarjev dom. Participants learned about the achievements of four research and innovation programmes funded under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. One of the key programmes presented was GREENTECH – GREENTECH – Hybrid Technologies for Green Factories of the Future, which is coordinated by the UL Faculty of Mechanical Engineering as the lead partner.
Photo: Nace Boskovič
The results of the GREENTECH programme were presented by its head, prof. dr. Janko Slavič. The programme brings together the research community and the business sector to develop advanced technologies for the green transition. These range from artificial intelligence and digital twins to robotics, laser technologies, energy-efficient household appliances and energy conversion technologies.
As part of the programme, researchers and partners developed 17 innovations, filed eight patent applications and created 11 new products, as well as developing 20 new technologies. They have also published as many as 45 scientific papers. According to estimates by the programme partners, the developed solutions could contribute to a reduction of 17 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, nine billion kilowatt-hours of energy consumption and approximately 800,000 tonnes of material consumption if fully implemented on the European market over a ten-year period.
As prof. dr. Slavič pointed out, the programme promotes sustainable development throughout the production process, as well as encouraging the development of products with a smaller environmental footprint. The programme aims to develop hybrid technologies for future factories, enabling more efficient use of energy and other resources.
Participants also learned about the HyBReED programme, which focuses on developing sustainable solutions in the fields of hydrogen, battery systems and industrial transition. Researchers from the UL Faculty of Mechanical Engineering are also participating in this programme.
The UL Faculty of Mechanical Engineering also played an active role in the expert discussions. Prof. dr. Rok Petkovšek participated in the roundtable discussion “Research and Innovation Programmes – Partnerships and Intellectual Property”, where he discussed the importance of effective cooperation among partners and the role of intellectual property in transferring research results into practice with representatives of research organisations, companies, and support institutions.
Prof. dr. Franci Pušavec, Vice Dean of the UL Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, participated in the roundtable discussion titled ‘”reparing Successful Applications for ARIS Measures: Practical Aspects and Common Errors”. He talked to the participants about their experiences of preparing and implementing research and innovation projects, the key factors for successful applications and the most common challenges applicants face when trying to secure development funding.
During the opening speeches, representatives from ARIS, Science and Innovation Directorate within the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth, the European Commission Representation in Slovenia and SPIRIT Slovenia emphasised the importance of research and innovation programmes. ARIS Director Tjaša Dobnik noted that the programmes’ main added value lies in linking knowledge with practical application. Meanwhile, dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše, Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia, emphasised that the results confirm the significant value of European funding for societal and economic development.
The event confirmed that close collaboration between research organisations, companies and supporting institutions can significantly speed up the transfer of knowledge into practice. In this context, the UL Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is making a significant contribution to the development of technologies for the green and digital transition as the lead partner of the GREENTECH programme and a partner in the HyBReED programme.
Photo: Nace Boskovič
