Developing the next generation of renewable energy technologies: an overview of low-TRL EU-funded research projects

A cluster of eleven research and innovation projects, funded under the same call of the EU’s H2020 programme, are developing breakthrough and game-changing renewable energy technologies that will form the backbone of the energy system by 2030 and 2050 are, at present, at an early stage of development. These projects have joined forces at a collaborative workshop, entitled ‘ Low-TRL Renewable Energy Technologies’, at the 10th Sustainable Places Conference (SP2022), to share their insights, present their projects’ progress and achievements to date, and expose their approach for exploitation and market uptake of their solutions

OGHReS: Star formation in the Outer Galaxy II (ℓ = 180○-280○)

The Outer Galaxy High-Resolution Survey (OGHReS) covers 100 square degrees (180○ < ℓ < 280○) in the (2–1) transitions of three CO-isotopologues. We use the spectra to refine the velocities and physical properties to 6 706 Hi-GAL clumps located in the OGHReS region. In a previous paper, we analysed 3 584 clumps between ℓ = 250○ and 280○. Here, we cover a further 3 122 clumps (180○ < ℓ < 250○) and determine reliable velocities for 2 781 of these, finding good agreement with the previously assigned velocities (∼80 per cent within 5 km s−1). We update velocities for 288 clumps and provide new values for an additional 411. Combining these with the previous results, we have velocities and physical properties for 6 193 clumps (92.3 per cent). The 422 non-detections are low surface density clumps or likely contamination by evolved stars and galaxies. Key findings: i) improved correlation between clumps and spiral arm loci, and the discovery of clumps beyond the outer arm supports the existence of a new spiral structure; ii) decreasing trend in the L/M-ratio consistent with less high-mass star formation in the outer Galaxy; iii) increase in the star formation fraction (SFF) in the outer Galaxy, suggesting that more clumps are forming stars despite their lower mass; iv) discrepancies in velocity assignments across different surveys that could affect ∼10 000 clumps, especially in the fourth quadrant

A survey for variable young stars with small telescopes: IX - Evolution of spot properties on YSOs in IC 5070

We present spot properties on 32 periodic young stellar objects in IC 5070. Long term, ∼5 yr, light curves in the V, R, and I-bands are obtained through the HOYS (Hunting Outbursting Young Stars) citizen science project. These are dissected into six months long slices, with 3 months oversampling, to measure 234 sets of amplitudes in all filters. We fit 180 of these with reliable spot solutions. Two thirds of spot solutions are cold spots, the lowest is 2150 K below the stellar temperature. One third are warm spots that are above the stellar temperature by less than ∼2000 K. Cold and warm spots have maximum surface coverage values of 40 per cent, although only 16 per cent of warm spots are above 20 per cent surface coverage as opposed to 60 per cent of the cold spots. Warm spots are most likely caused by a combination of plages and low density accretion columns, most common on objects without inner disc excess emission in K − W2. Five small hot spot solutions have &amp;lt;3 percent coverage and are 3000 – 5000 K above the stellar temperature. These are attributed to accretion, and four of them occur on the same object. The majority of our objects are likely to be accreting. However, we observe very few accretion hot spots as either the accretion is not stable on our timescale or the photometry is dominated by other features. We do not identify cyclical spot behaviour on the targets. We additionally identify and discuss a number of objects that have interesting amplitudes, phase changes, or spot properties

A survey for variable young stars with small telescopes – VIII. Properties of 1687 Gaia selected members in 21 nearby clusters

The Hunting Outbursting Young Stars (HOYS) project performs long-term, optical, multi-filter, high cadence monitoring of 25 nearby young clusters and star forming regions. Utilising Gaia DR3 data we have identified about 17000 potential young stellar members in 45 coherent astrometric groups in these fields. Twenty one of them are clear young groups or clusters of stars within one kiloparsec and they contain 9143 Gaia selected potential members. The cluster distances, proper motions and membership numbers are determined. We analyse long term (≈ 7 yr) V, R, and I-band light curves from HOYS for 1687 of the potential cluster members. One quarter of the stars are variable in all three optical filters, and two thirds of these have light curves that are symmetric around the mean. Light curves affected by obscuration from circumstellar materials are more common than those affected by accretion bursts, by a factor of 2 – 4. The variability fraction in the clusters ranges from 10 to almost 100 percent, and correlates positively with the fraction of stars with detectable inner disks, indicating that a lot of variability is driven by the disk. About one in six variables shows detectable periodicity, mostly caused by magnetic spots. Two thirds of the periodic variables with disk excess emission are slow rotators, and amongst the stars without disk excess two thirds are fast rotators – in agreement with rotation being slowed down by the presence of a disk

A survey for variable young stars with small telescopes: VIII — Properties of 1687 Gaia selected members in 21 nearby clusters

The Hunting Outbursting Young Stars (HOYS) project performs long-term, optical, multi- filter, high cadence monitoring of 25 nearby young clusters and star forming regions. Utilising Gaia DR3 data we have identified about 17000 potential young stellar members in 45 coherent astrometric groups in these fields. Twenty one of them are clear young groups or clusters of stars within one kiloparsec and they contain 9143 Gaia selected potential members. The cluster distances, proper motions and membership numbers are determined. We analyse long term ( 7 yr) V, R, and I-band light curves from HOYS for 1687 of the potential cluster members. One quarter of the stars are variable in all three optical filters, and two thirds of these have light curves that are symmetric around the mean. Light curves affected by obscuration from circumstellar materials are more common than those affected by accretion bursts, by a factor of 2 – 4. The variability fraction in the clusters ranges from 10 to almost 100 percent, and correlates positively with the fraction of stars with detectable inner disks, indicating that a lot of variability is driven by the disk. About one in six variables shows detectable periodicity, mostly caused by magnetic spots. Two thirds of the periodic variables with disk excess emission are slow rotators, and amongst the stars without disk excess two thirds are fast rotators – in agreement with rotation being slowed down by the presence of a disk

NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY: STATUS, PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES

The production of food products in agriculture and the food industry in Bulgaria is important for the formation of the country's food resources, on which the national food security largely depends. The situation and challenges in providing the population with food are related to the stability of national sources for the availability of basic food products. In this regard, the report uses approaches to assess the situation, identifies problems and provides guidelines for the development of food production in the context of Bulgaria's membership in the European Union. Critical moments have been outlined and problems have been identified in providing the population with basic foodstuffs, where the reliability of domestic sources has a pronounced negative effect on the degree of food independence of the country, which as part of food security is part of national security.</jats:p

Diagnosis of Dentin Caries – Ultraviolet Fluorescence

Summary The technology advance in recent years determines the need of construction of modern appliances for early diagnosis of dental caries, which are categorized by great precision, non-invasiveness, easy usage and wide availability. Such non-invasive and accurate tool for diagnostics of caries is Caries Detector (LED), Bulgarian product by “Optica Laser”. The detector emits a specific wavelength of near ultraviolet light, which causes fluorescence to porphyrins - metabolic products of the life cycle of caries-inducing bacteria. The purpose of the study is piloting a new diagnostic tool for detection and monitoring of caries excavation based on fluorescence - LED UV caries detector of company “Optica laser”. Subjected to examination by caries indicator dye and UV caries detector were sixty permanent teeth with deep dentine caries. Two methods were used to assess the dentin caries - UV fluorescence detector of “Optica Laser” and staining with caries indicator - dye (Sable ™ Seek®). It was found that among all sixty teeth, the fields, closed by margins of carious process overlap. Fifty-four of tested teeth has shown bigger field of images with staining method and six - smaller in comparison to the fluorescent method. Ultraviolet fLuorescence caries detector of “Optica Laser” company is affordable and easy applicable method for controlled excavation of dentine caries. The detector can be used in daily dental practice equally with other methods. The unit has a number of advantages - non-invasiveness, lack of interaction with tooth structures, speed, reliability, efficiency, predictability and repeatability of results.</jats:p

Diagnosis of Dentin Caries – Ultraviolet Fluorescence

The technology advance in recent years determines the need of construction of modern appliances for early diagnosis of dental caries, which are categorized by great precision, non-invasiveness, easy usage and wide availability. Such non-invasive and accurate tool for diagnostics of caries is Caries Detector (LED), Bulgarian product by “Optica Laser”. The detector emits a specific wavelength of near ultraviolet light, which causes fluorescence to porphyrins - metabolic products of the life cycle of caries-inducing bacteria. The purpose of the study is piloting a new diagnostic tool for detection and monitoring of caries excavation based on fluorescence - LED UV caries detector of company “Optica laser”. Subjected to examination by caries indicator dye and UV caries detector were sixty permanent teeth with deep dentine caries. Two methods were used to assess the dentin caries - UV fluorescence detector of “Optica Laser” and staining with caries indicator - dye (Sable ™ Seek®). It was found that among all sixty teeth, the fields, closed by margins of carious process overlap. Fifty-four of tested teeth has shown bigger field of images with staining method and six - smaller in comparison to the fluorescent method. Ultraviolet fLuorescence caries detector of “Optica Laser” company is affordable and easy applicable method for controlled excavation of dentine caries. The detector can be used in daily dental practice equally with other methods. The unit has a number of advantages - non-invasiveness, lack of interaction with tooth structures, speed, reliability, efficiency, predictability and repeatability of results