The tenth edition of the international conference “Sofia Electrochemical Days” – SED’2026 – took place from 8 to 12 September at the Creativity House of BAS, Varna. The forum brought together 75 participants from seven countries – Bulgaria, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, Poland and the Czech Republic – representing scientific organisations, universities and the business sector. The “Sofia Electrochemical Days” conferences, which have been held biennially since 1996, are organised by the “Academician Evgeni Budevski” Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems – BAS.

The scientific programme of SED’2026 included 7 plenary, 10 invited and 13 regular oral presentations as well as 35 poster presentations. The latest scientific findings were presented in the fields of modern batteries and supercapacitors, the production, storage and conversion of hydrogen, materials for electrochemical applications, fundamental electrochemistry, corrosion and bioelectrochemistry as well as innovative solutions with potential for practical and industrial application. In a special session dedicated to the links between science and industry, company representatives presented the latest technological solutions and products tailored to the current needs of scientific and industrial practice.

As in previous editions, a special place in the SED’2026 programme was reserved for young participants for whom a dedicated session for PhD students and early-career researchers was organised. As part of the traditional youth competition, presenters were given the opportunity to present their research findings to an international jury and to be assessed both on their scientific achievements and on their presentation skills.

At the conference’s closing ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr Vania Ilcheva, Chair of the Organising Committee, presented the awards for the best oral presentation and the best poster in the individual thematic sessions. The winners at SED’2026 are:

  • Eleonora Hubenova, a junior researcher at IEES–BAS: for the best oral presentation in the Session for PhD students and early-career researchers;
  • Ivan Zahariev, PhD, from the Institute of Physical Chemistry – BAS: for the best poster in Poster Session 1 “Hydrogen Technologies, Bioelectrochemistry, Electrocatalysis and Corrosion”;
  • Veselina Chakarova, PhD, from the Institute of Physical Chemistry – BAS: for the best poster in Poster Session 2 “Materials for Modern Electrochemical Applications”;
  • Lilia Stoimenova, PhD student at IEES–BAS: for the best poster in Poster Session 3 “Batteries and Supercapacitors”.

Jordan Iliev, a PhD student at IEES-BAS, received the special award for the best oral presentation in the Youth Session. The award was presented by the Department of “Inorganic and Electrochemical Processes” at the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy – Sofia in memory of Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Lyudmil Fachikov. The award was presented to him by the current head of the department, Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Dimka Fachikova.

The anniversary edition of the “Sofia Electrochemical Days” once again established the conference as a significant scientific forum for presenting new research findings, exchanging ideas and forging contacts and partnerships between researchers, universities, scientific organisations and business representatives from Bulgaria and abroad.