Professor Bart Vermang (UHasselt/imec/EnergyVille) receives the prestigious prize 'Laureate in the Class of Technical Sciences' from the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and Arts (KVAB). Prof. Vermang receives the prize worth 10,000 euros, for his research on new materials for renewable energy applications. "This prize is a very nice recognition for the work of my whole team," says Prof. Bart Vermang.

Every year, the KVAB awards this prize to a young, promising researcher in Flanders (-40 years) who excels in the field of technical sciences. International projects and collaborations, publication numbers, and the development of an own research team are some of the criteria the jury takes into account. For UHasselt it is the first time that this prize is awarded to one of their professors. On February 5, Bart Vermang will receive the prize.

"This prize is a real team achievement. As head of a research group of some 25 researchers at UHasselt and imec (imo-imomec) within the collaboration of EnergyVille and Solliance, I am extremely proud to receive the prize in the Technical Sciences Class. The corona pandemic did not make it easy to carry out top-level scientific research in a group, this is a very nice boost for all the work."

Thin Film Materials

In his research, Bart Vermang focuses on solar energy. Through so-called thin film materials, Bart Vermang and his team are investigating numerous renewable energy applications. Thin-film materials are wafer-thin materials only a few micrometers thick that can absorb as much light as traditional silicon solar panels, which are hundreds of times thicker. "Thin-film materials have an awful lot of potential. Not only are they cheaper, because you need less material to make them. They are also very flexible, so they can be easily integrated on different substrates such as glass or metal foils, for example, allowing for nicer integration possibilities for buildings, cars and roads," says Bart Vermang.

CO2 to fuel

In 2016, Bart Vermang already received a European ERC research grant of 2 million euros for his research. In 2020, as coordinator within the European consortium PERCISTAND, he succeeded in using a thin-film solar cell to generate as much energy as a traditional silicon solar cell, making this material competitive with the traditional solar panel sector. In another research project, Bart Vermang focuses on developing photovoltaic applications that are transparent to visible light and can thus be integrated into glass windows of buildings. He is also incorporating the same materials into photoelectrochemical applications, where sunlight is used to extract CO2 from the air and convert it into synthetic, green fuel.

Greening energy supply

"If we want to make our energy supply more sustainable and reduce CO2 emissions, we need to bet on this kind of innovative technology. The development of higher-performance applications, the use of cheaper materials and ensuring that the end product can be integrated in a simpler and more aesthetic way are the driving forces behind this. This is the only way we will succeed in the necessary energy transition we are facing as a result of climate change," concludes Bart Vermang.