Georgiades delivered a speech at the inauguration of the Linear Fresnel Solar Energy System for Built Environment of the Novel Technologies Laboratory (NTL) of the Cyprus Institute (CyI).
He stressed that through investment of such scale we can create a new healthy basis for the Cyprus economy.
Georgiades described the project as a major breakthrough of an extraordinary technology, which converts solar energy into air conditioning and which can open up a lot of prospects.
The Minister assured that the Government will continue to support the Institute which invests in new technologies and innovation.
He also said that CyI employed a large number of young scientists and has gained trust in the international research community.
CyI President Costas Papanicolas said that the project is a result of a four year effort and it is a pioneering innovation.
President of Cyprus Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Phidias Pilidis stressed that the aim is to transfer the results of this scientific research in the real economy.
The inauguration is part of the 3-day workshop organised by The Cyprus Institute.
The Linear Fresnel Solar Energy System was built by utilising financing provided by the ‘Small Scale Thermal District Units for Mediterranean Communities’ (STS-Med) project, a consortium of 14 organisations from 6 different countries including academic institutions, businesses and governmental departments.
The system installed in Cyprus is one of the four pilot systems that were built in the Eastern Mediterranean region, with the others situated in Italy, Egypt and Jordan. The system collects solar energy through several rows of mirrors that continuously track the sun’s path and channel the collected heat to a cooling device for the needs of the Novel Technologies Laboratory (NTL), which is now classified as a ‘Nearly Zero Energy Building’ (NZEB), which is the first of its kind in Cyprus. The mode of integration of the solar system in the existing facilities is also novelty of The Cyprus Institute (CyI).
Source: Famagusta Gazette
