From 19 to 22 October 2026, Trakia University in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, will host the 2026 WPI Symposium, “Advances in Clean Energy Conversion: From Materials to Systems”. The event is jointly organised by H2START and the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I²CNER) at Kyushu University, Japan.
The symposium will bring together researchers from scientific institutions in Japan, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Bulgaria to discuss developments in clean energy conversion technologies.
Following previous WPI Symposium meetings in Göttingen, Germany, and Madrid, Spain, this year’s event will take place in Stara Zagora, with a scientific programme covering hydrogen technologies, electrochemical energy conversion, functional materials and integrated energy systems.
The official opening will take place on 19 October at 10:00 at the Academic Information Centre, second floor, Trakia University.
The opening programme includes H.E. Chikahisa Sumi, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Bulgaria; Prof. Miroslav Karabaliev, Rector of Trakia University; Prof. Daria Vladikova, Executive Director of H2START; and representatives of international research organisations.
From Advanced Materials to Integrated Energy Systems
The symposium will examine how advances in materials science and electrochemistry can support the development of technologies for energy production, conversion, storage and use.
The scientific programme is organised into seven thematic sessions covering the hydrogen value chain, hydrogen integration, innovative energy conversion approaches, material-related challenges, engineered material architectures, efficiency improvements, and technology performance and durability.
Research topics include advanced electrolysis technologies, fuel cells, electrolysers, hydrogen storage, functional materials, membranes, protonic ceramic technologies and solid oxide electrochemical devices.
Particular attention will be given to the relationship between materials development and practical applications, including the performance, efficiency and durability of electrochemical systems.
The programme also includes two poster sessions. These will cover advanced materials, membranes, solid oxide cells and electrochemical devices, as well as hydrogen production, storage and integrated energy systems.
International Research Collaboration
The WPI Symposium is associated with Japan’s World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), which supports internationally competitive research centres and scientific collaboration.
Participating institutions include Kyushu University, Kumamoto University and the Institute of Science Tokyo in Japan; Imperial College London in the United Kingdom; Politecnico di Torino and the National Research Council of Italy (CNR); the German Aerospace Center (DLR); the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland; and Bulgarian universities and research organisations.
The event will feature plenary and keynote lectures, technical presentations and poster sessions, providing opportunities for researchers to exchange knowledge and discuss developments across different areas of clean energy research.
H2START Research Priorities and Laboratory Infrastructure
The symposium will also provide an opportunity to present the scientific activities and development of H2START, the Centre of Excellence for Hydrogen Technologies at Trakia University.
On 21 October, Prof. Daria Vladikova will present H2START’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas and equipment. The programme also includes a tour of the H2START laboratories.
H2START researchers will contribute scientific presentations addressing hydrogen in the energy transition, innovative approaches to hydrogen generation and advanced materials for electrochemical applications.
Hosting the symposium allows H2START to present its research priorities to the international scientific community and strengthen its connections with researchers working on hydrogen and clean energy technologies.
Symposium Programme
Dates: 19–22 October 2026
Venue: Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
The complete scientific programme, including speakers, presentation topics and session schedules, is available on the H2START website:
2026 WPI Symposium – Full Programme
Contact: h2start@h2start.eu