Conference abstracts submission deadline has been extended until April 15th, 2016.
"If there are to be problems, may they come during my life-time so that I can resolve them and give my children the chance of a good life."

Kenyan proverb
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."

Buckminster Fuller, philosopher, futurist and global thinker (1895 - 1983)
"Then I say the Earth belongs to each generation during its course, fully and in its right no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its existence"

Thomas Jefferson, September 6, 1789
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SPECIAL SESSIONS
SPECIAL SESSION: Future of sustainability: Innovative concepts and technologies for sustainable abundance
Session resume:

The current global interconnected crises of economy, environment, society and institutions are endangering the sustainability of human civilisation. This session will be devoted to brainstorming, modeling, analysis, measurement and assessment of activities that provide innovative concepts and technologies directed towards sustainable abundance. This session is organized in cooperation with the World Academy of Art & Science and the Club of Rome - European Research Centre and National Associations.

The session is planned as follows:

  • Sustainability concepts with a focus on innovative ideas in energy, climate, demography, economy and governance;
  • Technological possibilities and opportunities for a sustainable resolution of the crisis;
  • Societal and economic concepts for transformation of the current crises toward sustainable knowledge society.
Prof. Aleksander Zidanšek
Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Aleksander Zidansek is Professor of Physics at University of Maribor, researcher at Jozef Stefan Institute, and Secretary General of the Jozef Stefan International Postgraduate School. Dr. Zidansek holds Ph.D. in Physics and Master Degrees in Physics and Business Administration, with specialization in sustainable development management. Prof. Zidansek is active in both solid state experimental physics and in research of renewable energy. He has been involved in a number of national and international research and education projects in solid state physics, security and in sustainable development. He received a Fulbright Grant for research at Montana State University with Prof. V. H. Schmidt in 1995/1996. He became associate member of tt30 in 2001 and associate member of the Club of Rome in 2005 (www.clubofrome.org). He is Fellow of the World Academy of Art & Science since 2012 and Trustee since 2021.
Prof. Ivo Šlaus
Rudjer Boskovic Institute
Zagreb, Croatia
Ivo Šlaus is Professor of Physics, researcher at R. Bošković Institute and Dean of the University College for International Affairs and Diplomacy, Zagreb. He is also Fellow of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (since 1977) and foreign secretary (1992-1997), Founding Fellow Academia Europaea (since 1988) and former chairman Physics Section (1990-1994), Fellow World Academy of Art and Science (since 1994), from 2005 chairman of WAAS South East European Division (SEED), from 2005 member of The Board of Trustees, fromk Dec 2011 president of World Academy, initiator and President of the international journal Cadmus launched at the occasion of 50th anniversary of WAAS in 2010, member of The Club of Rome (since 1989), member of the International Advisory Council of The Club of Rome (since 2007), member Pugwash Council (since 2002), member of the European Leadership Network (ELN), and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board for the International Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) since 2002.
Prof. Garry Jacobs
World Academy of Art & Science
Napa, United States
Garry Jacobs is Chief Executive Officer of the Academy; Chairman of the Board & CEO of World University Consortium; Managing Editor of Cadmus Journal; Vice-President of The Mother's Service Society (MSS), a social science research institute in Pondicherry, South India; and Distinguished Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Person-Centered Approach Institute, Italy.
From 1972 he has been engaged in research at MSS on economic, social development, employment, organizational theory, psychology, education and psychology and development strategies for the Government of India. In 1989 he founded the International Commission on Peace and Food. Garry is also a management consultant and partner since 1987 in Mira International.
His work includes assignments for small, medium and large corporations on strategies to elevate corporate values, accelerate growth, and improve profitability. He is author of hundreds of articles on economic, business and global affairs and co-author of two business books on the process of corporate growth, a book on Indian development and a novel on spirituality and business. He is also member of the Club of Rome.

Invited papers (5)
SPECIAL SESSION: Energy (Climate), Water and Food Nexus – Managing the Green Economy Transition Process
Session resume:

At the Rio+20 Conference in 2012, the United Nations declared that a “green economy in the context of sustainable development” is a chance for economic development in the institutional framework of sustainable development. The UNEP supports this model and defined green economy as a strategic economic policy agenda for achieving sustainable development. In 2011, UNEP stressed that the green economy does not only focus on current environmental and economic problems but also has to address inter- and intragenerational issues. The central element of the green economy is to develop new management concepts for the water, energy (climate change) and food nexus, which were identified by the UNEP as key sectors for the realization of sustainable development. “The water-energy-food nexus refers to the complex links between the three sectors [and its actors and stakeholders (industry, households, research)] and shows that actions in one sector may have impacts in one or both of the others. It plays a key role in exploiting the synergies between the sectors and in making trade-offs, and therefore contributes to sustainable development.” The analysis and assessment of these interlinked systems are now under development (nexus-based strategies).

The session aims to identify management methods for the transition process of the green economy to sustainable development with a special focus on nexus-based strategies. The session will be a forum for theoretical methods, models and practical examples from industry, science (sustainability science, bioeconomy, energy (climate change), water and food) and the public sector for analysing and measuring progress and obstacles in the nexus sectors on the way to sustainable development. The session will present measuring and management methods from both top-down approaches, such as sustainability indicator systems, nexus metrics, input-output modelling, general equilibrium modelling and linear programming models for the energy-water-food Nexus, as well as bottom-up approaches, such as life cycle sustainable assessment (LCSA) methods.

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Dr. Holger Schlör
Forschungszentrum Jülich (Research Centre Jülich)
Jülich, Germany
Holger Schlör studied economics at the University of Heidelberg and went on to complete his PhD in Economics at the Free University in Berlin. His interest in economics and the idea of sustainable development has remained with him throughout his career. He has conducted research at several institutions and is currently working at Forschungszentrum Jülich in the Institute of Energy Research -- Systems Analysis and Technology Evaluation (IEF-STE). His research here focuses on the fields of sustainable development, economics and energy systems analysis.
He was member of the Scientific Committee for Social Sciences and Humanities of the Croatian Science Foundation. He was an invited speaker at the Food-Energy-Water Nexus Conference 2016 of the National Council for Science and the Environment in Washington.
He is a member of the “Sustainable Management” and “Sustainable Assessment” Committees of the Association of German Engineers (VDI) and supporting member of the International Centre for Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES Centre).

Invited papers (5)
SPECIAL SESSION: Plastic and Plastic Waste – Threats, Challenges and Opportunities
Session resume:

Plastic is one of the most widely used materials in modern societies. This is due to the fact that plastics can be specially designed for individual applications by using different polymers, additives, fillers and so on. This is positive with regard to the application, but poses challenges for the end-of life phase of plastics as well, as plastics properties change during its use-life and substances added beforehand might hinder high quality recycling or a high-level use of recyclables. In recent years the ban on various substances used for example as stabilizers before have reduced the pollutant potential in PVC but substances like Bisphenol A and others came into focus due to potential negative effects on the human health. Another development in recent years was the creation of bio-polymers which should reduce the dependency on crude oil as feedstock for plastics production and help to address the limited degradability of plastics in the environment.

The management of plastic waste has gained in importance over the last two decades. In the early 90ies of the 20th century countries like Austria and Germany introduced mandatory collection and recycling targets for packaging waste. While material recovery of paper & cardboard and glass waste became reality very quick, the start of plastic waste recycling was not that easy. Recovery of plastic waste was mainly realized by thermal utilization as solid recovered fuel (SRF) in cement kilns or even steel furnaces. There have been and there still are reasons for that

  • Inadequate collection systems for plastic waste
  • Lack of automated sorting equipment
  • Complex material composition – sometimes disabling high quality recycling
  • Absence of a well established market for recycled plastic
  • Industries need for fuels from waste
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Dr. Arne M. Ragossnig
RME ecoconsultants e.U.
Vienna, Austria
Since 2013 Arne M. Ragossnig is Managing Director of the Engineering and Consulting Company ecoconsulttants (formerly "UTC").
As of January 2018 Arne Ragossnig is Managing Director of International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) - the leading global network of the waste management industry.
He is lecturer at various Universities. Before that he was Vice Rector, Professor and Head of Research & Development at the Department of Energy and Environmental Management at the University of Applied Science Burgenland. As programme director he was responsible for the master degree programmes "Sustainable Energy Systems" and "Energy and Environmental Management". He is member of the Scientific Advisory Board of various international conferences as well as Associate Editor of the scientific journal Waste Management & Research.
Previous affiliations include a position in industry at VA TECH WABAG as well as a position as Assistant Professor and Deputy Head of Institute at the University of Leoben, Austria.
Arne M. Ragossnig is author and co-author of more than 100 publications including more than 30 peer reviewed and invited publications.
Prof. Daniel Rolph Schneider
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture University of Zagreb
Zagreb, Croatia
Dr. sc. Daniel Rolph Schneider is full professor at the Department of Energy, Power Engineering and Environment at University of Zagreb-Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and naval Architecture where he has been working from 1993. Currently he is a Vice Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and naval Architecture. He was the Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Croatia in the Directorate for Environmental Management, from 2007 to 2009. From 2004 to 2007 he worked at the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund of Republic of Croatia. His field of work includes energy conversion technologies, waste management and waste-to- energy systems, renewable energy, and climate change. In his present position as a university researcher he has more than 25 years of professional experience in the energy and environment sector.

Invited papers (4)
SPECIAL SESSION: Energy and Water Efficiency for Sustainable Future: Knowledge Development and Transfer
Session resume:

In Dubrovnik, 27 September – 2 October 2015 the session has received a considerable attention, which having three time slots and spanning two conference days, consolidating the outcome of the 2014 conference (Mediterranean). Many of the presenters will be soon invited to publish extended manuscripts in dedicated Special Issues of journals with a high Impact Factor, among which Applied Energy (IF 5.613), Energy (IF 4.844), Energy Conversion and Management (IF 4.380), Journal of Cleaner Production (IF 3.844).

 

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Dr. Petar Varbanov
Brno University of Technology
Brno, Czech Republic
Dr Varbanov worked for the Institute of Chemical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, where he still acts as a Consultant. After a spell in the industry in Bulgaria he got a scholarship at a prestigious British University – UMIST, Manchester. He got PhD in Process Integration from UMIST with distinction and won another prestigious EC Marie Curie grant for 2-year research at Technische Universität Berlin, followed by another EC grant for coming to the University of Pannonia - Hungary, where he is a Deputy Head of the Centre for Process Integration and Intensification CPI2.

His experience covers energy saving, water and waste water minimization, optimization of energy supply networks, Systems Modelling, Process Synthesis and Process Operation. His research has been successfully implemented in collaboration with industrial partners: BP-Coryton, BP-Grangemouth, MOL Százhalombatta. Presently he has been contributing to 7 EC co-funded research projects. He has published more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals. He is a co-author of two books and several chapters in books. Dr Varbanov acts as a scientific secretary of the PRES series of conferences and editor of the related Special Issues in respected journals such as Applied Thermal Engineering, Journal of Cleaner Production, Cleaner Technologies and Environmental Policy, Theoretical Foundations of Chemical Engineering. Dr Varbanov is Subject Editor for ENERGY, for the topic of Energy Planning Tools.
Prof. Jiří Jaromír Klemeš
Brno University of Technology - VUT Brno
Brno, Czech Republic
Co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Cleaner Production. The founder and President for 24 y of PRES (Process Integration for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction) conferences. Chairperson of CAPE Working Party of EFCE, a member of WP on Process Intensification and of the EFCE Sustainability platform. He authored and co-authored more than 700 papers, h-index reaching 65. A number of books published by Elsevier, Woodhead, McGraw-Hill; Ashgate Publishing Cambridge; Springer; WILEY-VCH; Taylor & Francis).
Several times Distinguished Visiting Professor at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and University Technology Petronas, Malaysia; Xi’an Jiaotong University; South China University of Technology, Guangzhou and Tianjin University in China; University of Maribor, Slovenia; Brno University of Technology and the Russian Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology, Moscow. Doctor Honoris Causa of Kharkiv National University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” in Ukraine, the University of Maribor in Slovenia, University POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania. “Honorary Doctor of Engineering Universiti Teknologi Malaysia”. Awarded with “Honorary Membership of Czech Society of Chemical Engineering", "European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) Life-Time Achievements Award" and "Pro Universitaire Pannonica" Gold Medal.

Invited papers (12)
SPECIAL SESSION: Sustainable Campuses and Communities: Living Labs for Energy, Water and Environment System Integration
Session resume:

In 2016, the first universal and legally binding global climate deal will be opened for signature and the new sustainable development goals and targets come into effect. This marks the opening of new possibilities for the sustainable development of energy, water and environment systems. Best practices to transform energy and related systems towards better integrated ones is more vital than ever to reduce resource spending and emissions.

This Special Session focuses on the role of campuses and communities in supporting the more sustainable consumption and production systems of the future. Already in the 10th SDEWES Conference in Dubrovnik, invited papers representing 30 researchers and 16 institutions from countries in Europe and Asia, including International Sustainable Campus Network members, put forth analyses of best practices. These included climate strategies, smart renewable energy systems and microgrids, innovative energy monitoring, self-sufficiency in heating and cooling, energy positive communities, energy quality (exergy) mapping of campus buildings and clusters, as well as circular economy in campuses.

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Prof. Şiir KILKIŞ
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK)
Ankara, Turkey
Şiir Kılkış is alumna of KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Georgetown University, where she graduated magna cum laude with honors as the gold medalist in Science, Technology, and International Affairs. She served as a Lead Author in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report Working Group III on Mitigation of Climate Change with a focus on urban systems and sustainable development, engaging in cross-Working Group collaborations. For the Seventh Assessment Cycle, she is elected to serve in the IPCC Bureau as a Vice-Chair of WGIII. She is Senior Researcher and Science Advisor to the President at The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. She is double affiliated in the Earth System Science program of the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences at Middle East Technical University as a Professor in energy systems engineering, climate change, and sustainable development. She takes place among the world’s top 2% scientists in the areas of energy, environmental science, and emerging/strategic technologies and is an International Scientific Committee member of the SDEWES Center. Her research work includes urban emissions and land use efficiency scenarios, the multi-dimensional SDEWES Index benchmarking 120 cities, novel net-zero district concepts, and the Rational Exergy Management Model to curb CO₂ emissions. She is an editorial board member of Energy Conversion and Management, The Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water & Environment Systems, Smart Energy, and Energy Storage and Saving. She is a member of the Earth Commission on earth system boundaries, Steering Committee of Future Earth Urban Knowledge Action Network, Board of Governors of the Joint Research Centre, and the Mission Board for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.

Invited papers (6)
SPECIAL SESSION: Smart Grid Infrastructure with Special Focus on Integration of Renewables, Demand Response, and Energy Storage
Session resume:

Smart grids can be described as the superposition of digital communication and information technology to conventional power grids in order to manage both the bi-directional power flows between centralized and decentralized generation, and the bi-directional data flow between and users and system operators. The goal of a such modernized network is to meet actual grid challenges at minimum costs. Among a number of challenges for this Special Session three of them have been chosen: Integration of Renewables, Demand Response, and Energy Storage topic. The new methods and software applications for these topics, improvement of SCADA systems for medium voltage network operation management in order to improve distribution networks operation and planning of their development will be in the core interest.

Demand Response programs enable Distribution System Operators to manage consumption in response to grid imbalances, dominantly during time of peak demand or unexpected drops in supply. Active consumer contribution is designed to alter the demand of smart appliances at residential and commercial sites, or even to alter industry demand.

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Prof. Nikola Rajakovic
University of Belgrade
Belgrade, Serbia
University of Belgrade, Belgrade · School of Electrical Engineering, Chair of Power Systems
Dr. Rajakovic is a full time teaching professor at the School of Electrical engineering at the department of Power Systems. His research carrier has been combined with steering roles in government and power industry sector. He has been the leader in 40 projects, and the work package leader of many international project among which 2 FP6 and the participant in one FP7. Currently, he is the project leader in national "Smart grid" research project.
Areas of his work apart from teaching and research include power system optimization and smart grid applications.
His a co-author of 35 refereed full papers in Scientific Journals, 65 refereed papers appearing in Conference Proceedings, 39 Refereed full papers in Scientific Journals (in Serbian), 55 refereed papers appearing in Conference Proceedings (in Serbian), and 9 books (in Serbian).
Prof. Neven Duić
University of Zagreb
Zagreb, Croatia
Neven Duic is a Professor in Energy Planning, Policy and Economics since 2001, at Power Engineering and Energy Management Chair, Department of Energy, Power Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb. He is vice-president of Croatian Academy of Engineering and Chair of organising Committee of CAETS 2023. He is member of International Scientific Committee of Dubrovnik Conference on Energy, Water and Environment Systems since 2003 and chair of its Local Organising Committee since 2007. He is co-Editor of Energy Conversion and Management, subject Editor of Energy, Editorial Board member of Applied Energy, member of regional editorial board of Thermal Science Journal and Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems. His research covers areas of energy planning of energy systems with high penetration of renewables, sustainable communities, energy policy, energy economics, mitigation of climate change, energy efficiency and combustion engineering.
Dr. Ilija Batas Bjelic
Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Belgrade, Serbia
dr Ilija Batas-Bjelic
has been working at Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts as a research associate.
His research interest is techno-economic optimization of sustainable national energy systems including modelling on hourly level in the electricity and heat production for policy decisions and policy improvements.
He is a co-author of more than 40 scientific abstracts and articles in journals and conference proceedings, reviewer in 9 scientific journals and editor of SEE SDEWES 2016 special session SMART GRID INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON INTEGRATION OF RENEWABLES, DEMAND RESPONSE, AND ENERGY STORAGE.

Invited papers (7)

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SDEWES INDEX
Benchmarking the performance of cities across energy, water and environment systems
related metrics presents an opportunity to trigger policy learning, action, and cooperation to bring cities closer to sustainable development.

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