Imo-imomec researchers win prestigious European grant
Once again, Hasselt University/imec researchers have achieved significant scientific recognition. Sunil Suresh and Mina Ghorbani received the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) grant. ‘’This brings the total number of MSCA grants for the PVTech team of imo-imomec to four over the past three years,’’ says Prof. Dr. Bart Vermang, program manager for photovoltaic technology and energy systems at imo-imomec. The grants support innovative research in areas such as solar energy and sustainable technologies.
What makes these projects so innovative?
The MSCA projects of the PVTech team focus on groundbreaking research into converting solar energy into useful fuels and chemicals. Here’s a brief overview:
- SCCORE (Mina Ghorbani) develops advanced solar cells that remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and convert it into useful substances using scalable, low-cost, and abundant materials.
- NECTAR (Sunil Suresh) creates a method to convert solar energy directly into clean hydrogen with minimal CO₂ emissions, making hydrogen production more sustainable and affordable.
- SolVa (Vishal Jose Kakkarakunnel) designs a new solar cell architecture using thin-film materials and smart catalysts to convert CO₂ into valuable chemicals and enhance plastic recycling.
- CHALCON (Sudhanshu Shukla) develops a sunlight-driven system that mimics photosynthesis to convert CO₂ into sustainable raw materials like carbon monoxide and formic acid.
A significant step towards sustainable technology
The MSCA grants are a significant recognition for research institute imo-imomec, the joint institute of Hasselt University and imec. "These grants show that our work is valued within the international scientific community. They motivate us to keep building the technologies of the future," says Prof. Dr. Bart Vermang.
The projects are also of great societal importance. "By developing new technologies that directly harness solar energy, we continue to contribute to accelerating the energy transition," the researchers emphasize.