International Symposium on Green Technologies and Applications
June 25-27, 2025 – Portalegre, Portugal
Hybrid : In-person and Virtual Symposium
ISGTA 2025 Keynotes
Keynote #1
Prof. Hartmut Hinz
Bio: Dr.H. Hinz received the diploma degree in electrical engineering from the University of Applied Sciences, Aachen and the Ruhr University, Bochum in Germany in the years 1990 and 1994 respectively. He received the Ph.D. degree from the Technical University, Darmstadt in Germany in 2000.
Between 1999 and 2009 he was with General Motors Fuel Cell Activities, most recently as project leader for the development of high voltage electrical systems for concept fuel cell. In 2009 he was appointed as a Professor for power electronics at the University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt in Germany. Since 2011 he is the program director of the study program electrical engineering. Since 2010 he is a visiting Professor (flying faculty) at the Vietnamese-German University in Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam. His research interests are in the areas power electronics, modeling and decentralized power generation.
Keynote #2
Prof. Ronney Boloy
Bio: Dr. Boloy received his Master’s and PhD in Mechanical Engineering in the area of Energy Transmission and Conversion from the Guaratinguetá Faculty of Engineering (FEG) of the São Paulo State University (UNESP) Júlio de Mesquita Filho. Professor DIII-IV associated with the Mechanical Engineering Department at CEFET/RJ Maracanã. Leader of the Entrepreneurship, Energy, Environment and Technology Research Group (GEEMAT/CNPq). He works mainly on the following research topics: Computer Modelling and Simulation, Renewable Energies, Energy Cogeneration Systems, Thermoeconomics, Ecological Efficiency, Life Cycle Analysis, Biofuel Production, Bioenergy Production. Permanent Professor of the Production and Systems Engineering Postgraduate Programme – PPPRO CEFET/RJ. Southeast Region Coordinator for Biofuels and Electromobility at the Federal Network for Professional, Scientific and Technological Education (REPCT). Since 2018, he has been a member of the Bank of Assessors of the National Higher Education Assessment System – BASis INEP-MEC. Since 2018, he has been a researcher at the VALORIZA-IPPORTALEGRE Group, Portugal.
Keynote #3
Title: (to be announced)
Abstract: (To be announced)
Dr. Hossam A. Gabbar
Bio: Dr. Gabbar is a full Professor in the Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering, the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, at Ontario Tech University (UOIT), where he has established the Energy Safety and Control Lab (ESCL), Smart Energy Systems Lab, and Advanced Plasma Engineering Lab. He is the recipient of the Senior Research Excellence Aware for 2016, UOIT. He is recognized among the top 2% of worldwide scientists with high citation in the area of energy. He is a Distinguished Lecturer – IEEE NPSS on Nuclear-Renewable Hybrid Energy Systems and Plasma-based Waste-to-Energy. He is leading national and international research in the areas of smart energy grids, energy safety and control systems, and waste to energy using advanced plasma technologies. Dr. Gabbar obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1988 with first class of honor from the Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University (Egypt). In 2001, he obtained his Ph.D.
Keynote #4
Title: Challenges in the development of (Photo)Electrochemical solar fuels technology
Abstract:
The production of fuels as a potential energy vector to store renewable energy on a large scale, plays a crucial role in sustainable global development. The development of novel materials as (Photo)Electrocatalysts to effectively produce molecular hydrogen (H2) or to reduce Carbone dioxide (CO2) are the most important fields of research and development (R&D). Furthermore, understanding hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the two key half- electrochemical reactions for efficient Power-to-Hydrogen (PtH) process are still challenging. This talk, provides a combination of theory and application skills in current and emerging photovoltaic technologies, with particular interest of the background to understand the concept of (photo)electrochemistry, and photocatalysis for hydrogen production. Thermodynamic free energy versus kinetics (photo)catalytically-driven catalysis are discussed. The conversion of solar-to-chemical energy such as Hydrogen (STH) efficiency are explored in term of fundamental experimental methods (Lab set-up). Hydrogen can contribute to 100% energy transition production offering a solution to lower emissions in the chemicals manufacturing (e.g. Haber–Bosch process) for the production of ammoniac (NH3) as fertilizer or for the fixation of carbon oxides to manufacture methane (e.g. Methanation) with water (H2O) as byproduct. Hydrogen can be used for powering fuel cells to produce electricity in a Carbone free transport sector with heat and water as byproducts.
The context – Morocco is known to have a highest rate of solar insolation about 3,000-3,600 hours per year of sunshine. The country launched one of the world’s largest solar energy projects to increase the energy mix capacity to 52% by 2030-2050. The country is willing to create an economic and industrial sector around Power to Hydrogen (PtH), ammonia and methanol to consolidate its energy transition and to decarbonize its industry. Universities and capacity building through the development of new knowledge, new understanding and new insights, is providing effective solutions to complex problems
Key words – Photovoltaics, (Photo)Electro Catalytic Processes and green fuel production
Prof. Ahmed Ennaoui
Bio: Prof. Dr. Ahmed Ennaoui was born and grew up in south Morocco. He obtained his MSc and Doctoral thesis in Solid State Electronic from “University de Bourgogne”, France. He began his career as assoc. Professor in 1979 at University Mohamed V and joined the Hahn-Meitner Institute-Berlin (HMI) in 1983 for conducting research for his Habilitation. In April 1987, he obtained his habilitation (summa cum laude) on new earth abundant materials for solar energy conversion. In 2000, he was appointed head of a research group in the Institute for Heterogeneous Material Systems at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) for materials and energy. He serves as visiting professor at the Research Center for Solar Energy Chemistry Osaka University, Japan, and Research Director at Qatar Environmental and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) and Joint Professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (2015-2017). Ennaoui’s published mostly on transition metal chalcogenide, binary and ternary thin film solar cells. Recently he conducted research on inkjet printed thin film solar cells, and PV soiling solution.
Keynote #5
Bio: Mr Ismael SAADOUNE, Full Professor at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, was graduated from the University of Bordeaux, France (French PhD, 1992) and the University Cadi Ayyad UCA-Marrakech, Morocco (Moroccan PhD, 1996). These Two PhDs were in Material Science with the specific research topic ‘Active Materials for Lithium and Sodium-ion Batteries’. In 2002, He created the Laboratory of Materials and Environmental Chemistry. More than 100 graduate and 40 Master students were hosted in his Lab. 25 PhD Students have been under his supervision, all of them are now involved in the Industry or in research laboratories. He is the principal investigator of 19 national and 23 international research funded projects on Battery Materials. He was involved in two European Master ERASMUS MUNDUS: ‘Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion’ and ‘Functionalized Advanced Materials and Engineering’.
Prof Ismael Saadoune is actually member of the Moroccan Association on Analytical Chemistry for sustainable development where is responsible for the development of green chemistry for the development of active materials for Lithium-ion Batteries for application of renewable energy storage and electrical mobility.
Prof SAADOUNE was invited in many prestigious universities/research centers (Uppsala University, Sweden; KIT, Germany; ICMM Spain). He has authored/co-authored over 160 articles, conference papers, and project reports.
GOOGLE SCHOLAR: https://scholar.google.fr/citations?user=zgCkaZwAAAAJ&hl=fr
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1322-361X
Prof. Ismael SAADOUNE
Title: Understanding the Chemistries of Lithium-Ion Batteries to Explain the Recent Implementation of Gigafactories in Morocco
Abstract:
Over the past three months, several prominent Chinese groups have revealed their plans to establish operations in Morocco for the production of electric batteries. Morocco, indeed, offers optimal conditions to attract such gigafactories, including the presence of strategic mineral resources essential for the development of competitive Lithium-ion Batteries.Lithium-ion Batteries (LiBs) represent the cutting-edge technology for applications in Electric Vehicles and the storage of intermittent renewable energies. Essentially, an LIB consists of two electrodes, namely the cathode (positive electrode) and anode (negative electrode), separated by an ionic conductive electrolyte, generating voltage through the potential difference between the two electrodes. The performance of LiBs is intricately linked to the chemistry of the cathode materials.
In this context, we will delve into the chemistries of various electrode materials and electrolytes in connection with the available mineral resources in Africa.
Acknowledgements: The author would like to thank OCP-FOCP-UM6P for the financial support through TechDev Chair.