Scientific achievements with potential for practical application which were realized in the first year of implementation of the National Research Program “Low Carbon Energy for the Transport and Domestic Use – EPLUS” were presented today at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The scientists from BAS and the partner organizations presented the achievements in the three components of the program: Saving and converting renewable energy; Electric Vehicles and Hydrogen Mobility and Effective methods for capturing and utilizing CO2.

The forum was opened by the Vice-President of BAS and Program Manager of EPLUS Program, corr.-mem. Konstantin Hadjiivanov. There is a good synchronization between the scientific results and the demonstration part of the program, said the advisor to the Minister of Education and Science Prof. Ivan Dimov.

Prof. Velizara Pencheva from “Angel Kanchev” University of Ruse delivered a lecture on “Contemporary Challenges to Urban Transport Systems and Sustainable Mobility”. Last year alone, travel time within Sofia increased by an average of 35%, Prof. Pencheva announced, ranking 52nd out of 403 countries in the world. Scientists are looking for a solution to ease traffic and generate electricity in a fuel cell.

Within the first year of the EPLUS program, a demo trolley project was developed with a hybrid battery cell extension – fuel cell. The trolleybus will be able to move not only through power from the trolley wire but also to travel 100 km on hydrogen. The innovation is being developed for the first time by Bulgarian scientists, said Prof. Daria Vladikova from the Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems.

Under the EPLUS program, a river vessel powered by hydrogen and solar energy is also being developed. Scientists are testing a technological scheme to eliminate major pollutants from wastewater streams for the semi-industrial production of microalgae. A positive electrode for a new lithium-ion battery structure; porous adsorbents for carbon dioxide capture; photosynthetic biofuel elements using higher aquatic plants are also among the scientific achievements.

The National Research Program “Low Carbon Energy for the Transport and Domestic Use – EPLUS” is funded by the Ministry of Education and Science.