Meet the Team Interview:Dr. Andriy Lyubchyk
Meet Dr. Andriy Lyubchyk, who works as CEO for CASCATACHUVA LDA, and is the Partner of the CATCHER project.
Firstly, tell us a bit about your organization
We have come out with the decision to start the CATCHER project with the creation of a start-up company to empower key actors since the beginning of the project and provide sustainability, after its implementation towards targeted long-term perspective. Out start-up is allocated in the Taguspark, which is an avant-garde, cosmopolitan and multicultural Knowledge Technological Park in Portugal dedicated to science and technology. The start-up company creation is conditioned by the proactive management of the project exploitation strategy and aimed at the methodology of leadership to look for future business opportunities and to plan for decisions to be made far ahead down the line.
What is the motivation behind your organization getting involved in the CATCHER project?
We are a team of scientists from Portugal who have been working/coordinating in Europe for several years on the development of the “Humidity to Electricity” concept and the conversion system. For the CATCHER project, we are promoters and the scientific leaders of its R&I development and implementation. Actions are targeted on advancement, optimization and scalability of a previously developed technology that converts atmospheric humidity into electrical current, which will be ready for scaling up and thus could be prepared for further integration with existing EU electrical systems for general energy use.
How is CATCHER different from other projects that are developing a renewable energy conversion technology?
CATCHER project is aimed at the development of innovative technology to exploit the atmospheric humidity for direct conversion to electricity, thus gaining a new sustainable source of renewable energy and to contributing to implementing the specific priorities for strengthening the EU leadership on renewables. It is different from other renewable energy conversion technologies (except Solar) by Direct conversion of the source (in our case atmospheric humidity) to electricity. It does not require extra energy to operate, unlike solar it could operate 24/7 and does not require the occupation of a large surface, operating in 3D, X_Y_Z mode.
What do you hope to achieve through the project?
The proposed solution is expected to contribute to implementing the specific priorities for strengthening the EU leadership on renewables laid out in the Communication for accelerating Clean Energy Innovation. Sharing the culture of research and innovation, the CATCHER project will allow applying recent advancements in nanotechnology science and engineering to address DIRECTIVE (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, EU Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) and EU Re-thinking 2050 strategy.
What do you see is the greatest challenge in the renewable energy sector?
To cover the majority of the EU Energetical market by 2050. To have a successful competition with fossil fuels. To establish environmental benefits and social improvement of human wellbeing via the use of clean and affordable, relatively cheap energy for all.
What do you personally find most interesting about the CATCHER project?
The possibility for further develop the “humidity to electricity” concept in Europe and opportunities for the commercial use of new source-atmospheric humidity of renewable energy, which does not exist yet on the market.
