The works of the 13th International Conference on the Green European Organic Electronics Industry and Agrovoltaics began on October 29, 2023 with the technical meeting of the 15 partners participating in the Flex2Energy project.

Screenshot from the meeting of the partners of the Flex2Energy project

During the meeting at the Divani Caravel Hotel, the partners discussed the progress of the works for the creation of the first mass production unit of 3rd generation photovoltaics.

On Monday, October 30, at 9.30 am, the Minister of Energy and Environment, Theodoros Skylakakis, representing the Greek Government, declared the opening of the 13th ICEFPE Mr. Skylakakis referred, among other things, to the promising new technologies and energy storage stations in Western Macedonia being built by PPC. Speaking to journalists, he stressed that the Ministry of Environment and Energy in cooperation with the Ministry of Development and Food will be submitted soon a draft law on the use of agrivoltaics in agriculture.

The Minister of Energy & Environment Theodoros Skylakakis

Miltos Zambaras, Head of Environment and Energy of SYRIZA, during his address, referred to both the climate crisis and the war in the Middle East, stressing that the issue of energy autonomy is more topical than ever, while PASOK/KINAL's Head of Innovation, Research and Technology Panagiotis Vardas made special reference to Greece's high level of technology.

We are experiencing the fastest change in the Energy sector

Humanity is experiencing the fastest change in its history in the field of Energy, said characteristically the President of the HOPE-A Association and coordinator of the two major European projects Flex2Energy and COPE-Nano Stergios Logothetidis in his keynote speech He then referred to the unique characteristics of organic electronics: They are flexible, produced on a large scale at low cost, have very little weight and can be placed on any surface, They are wearable and can be embedded anywhere.

"In mid-2025 we will be able to mass-produce 3rd generation photovoltaics here in Greece," he said.

HOPE-A President Stergios Logothetidis

We are ready for the most ambitious project!

Professor Ravi Silva from the University of Surrey, London, once again referred to the global demand and challenge to produce cheap environmentally friendly energy. "The sun produces 10,000 times more energy every day than we need. The point is to store it," he said.

On behalf of COATEMA, which has taken a key role in the Flex2Energy project, its Vice President Thomas Kolbusch said he was excited about his team's participation in the construction of the 3rd generation mass photovoltaic plant in Greece.

AFELIM Association President (France) Michael Popovic, HOPE-A Association President (Greece) Stergios Logothetidis with DG HOPE-A Dr. Asterios Hatziparadeisis and Innovation & Dissemination Manager Evangelos Bakalis

The proceedings of the first day of the 13th International Conference on the European Green Organic Electronics Industry were also attended by the President of the Association of Organic Electronics Enterprises (AFELIM) of France, Michel Popovic, who re-signed a Cooperation Agreement with Stergios Logothetidis, President of the corresponding Association in Greece, HOPE-A.

The proceedings of the International Conference were attended by representatives of embassies of foreign countries, politicians, academics, businessmen, researchers and media representatives.

COPE-Nano Centre of Excellence

Very interesting were the presentations of the second day of the International Conference. Professor Argyris Laskarakis of the Department of Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki referred in detail to the COPE-Nano Center of Excellence for Organic Electronics and Bioelectronics and the prospects it creates, while special reference was made to the applications of new technologies in buildings, wearables, lighting, automotive and agricultural crops.

OET's EU Projects Manager, Vasilis Kyriazopoulos, referred to the products and applications of the company, which is considered a pioneer in 3rd generation photovoltaic technology worldwide, as well as to the Flex2Energy project coordinated by the company.

The General Director of the HOPE-A Association Dr. Asterios Hatziparadeisis

The Director General of HOPE-A Dr. Asterios Hatziparadeisis presented the effective policies promoted by Greece and the European Union in general in Research and Innovation (R&K) in the sector, which ensured significant leadership. However, complementary policies are also needed at the level of investment, to promote the results of Research and Innovation in the huge global market that is opening up.

OET's innovative, energy-autonomous greenhouse in Thermi, Thessaloniki

The third day of the International Conference was dedicated to Agrivoltaics and their applications.

The Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food, Dionysis Stamenitis, who opened the proceedings, visited the premises of the Innovation Products Exhibition at the Conference venue, at the Divani Caravel Hotel.

Mr. Stamenitis was briefed by the President of the HOPE-A Association Stergios Logothetidis on the new technologies of translucent and flexible photovoltaics (3rd generation photovoltaics) already applied in the energy autonomous greenhouses of the company Organic Electronic Technologies. During his visit to the pilot greenhouse that operates with semi-transparent photovoltaics in Thermi, Thessaloniki, as well as to the energy autonomous "smart" bus stop, the Deputy Minister expressed the Government's position that Renewable Energy Sources are essentially the way to the future as they respond to the threatening phenomenon of climate change.

Mr. Stamenitis added that the Primary Sector is a field with huge scope for the application of practices to produce renewable energy sources and the application of Agrivoltaics can contribute significantly to the energy autonomy of Agriculture and Livestock and the reduction of production costs.

HOPE-A President Stergios Logothetidis explains to the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food Dionysis Stamenitis the operation of the autonomous energy greenhouse

The President of the HOPE-A Association, Stergios Logothetidis, pointed out that the Draft Law should also include the new technologies of transparent and flexible photovoltaics produced in Greece and which, by installing them in greenhouses and open crops, enable triple use of land and resources: produce, store energy, increase production and reduce water use.

In his keynote speech at the International Conference on Agrivoltaics held at Divani Caravel in Athens, Mr. Logothetidis referred to the global demand for green energy, stressing, among other things, "that in 2022 the installation of photovoltaics globally reached 220 GW, while in 2032 it is expected to exceed 4 TW and in 2050 in order to achieve the goal of zero gas emissions, reach 76 TW. This means that photovoltaics will have to cover 18 times and 270 times more land respectively than today! Therefore, measures should be taken for the immediate use and installation in greenhouses and open crops of 3rd generation photovoltaics to reduce land use, increase production and save vital resources such as water".

During the 3rd day of the International Conference (November 1, 2023), agronomist-nanotechnologist Eugenia Athanasiadou presented the benefits of using agrivoltaics with 3rd generation photovoltaics in the OET greenhouse where hydroponic tomatoes are grown.

The innovation & dissemination Manager of the HOPE-A Association, Evangelos Bakalis, presents the activities of the Association

The afternoon session of the same day was dedicated to the applications of sensors and biosensors developed by BL Nanobiomed.The highly innovative company develops new nanomedical technologies and products to address clinical barriers in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

The innovation & dissemination Manager of the HOPE-A Association, Evangelos Bakalis, presented the purpose and actions of the Association. The Association counts 40 companies from Greece and a network of more than 2000 high-tech companies from all over the world, while it has concluded Cooperation Agreements (MoU) with the corresponding associations of Germany, France, Japan, China, Korea and Canada. The actions and objectives of HOPE-A concern the creation and management of a network of companies in Organic & Printed Electronics in Greece, the development of links between Research, Innovation & Industry, the creation of new applications, the representation of the sector at national and international level, dissemination of information to the markets, the attraction of investments, the support of its members in new markets, the organization of exhibitions, conferences, educational activities and the cooperation with bodies active in the field worldwide.

In the last, competitive part of the International Conference innovation start-up companies pitched their actions and goals. The best presentation award was won by the commercial director of OET, Stergios Koutsouvaloglou.

During the third day International Conference of the 13th ICEFPE, posters of research papers were presented and an exhibition of innovative products and applications of 3rd generation photovoltaics, nanomedicine and biosensors operated.

Screenshot from the COPE-Nano Centre of Excellence working group meeting

The International Conference was co-organized by the LTFN Nanotechnology Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the HOPE-A Association and the COPE-Nano Center of Excellence, which held its 6-month meeting on Thursday, November 2nd at Divani Caravel Hotel. Coordinator and project manager is the LTFN Nanotechnology Laboratory and Professor Stergios Logothetidis. Apart from the research team of the LTFN Nanotechnology Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the meeting was attended by research teams from the University of Bordeaux, France and Cambridge, UK led by professors George Hajiioannou and George Malliaras.