On December 15, Latvian scientists received the Annual Energetics Awards. At the end of the year, JSC “Latvenergo” and the Latvian Academy of Sciences traditionally highlight the outstanding performance of young scientists and the lifetime contribution of well-established researchers working in the field of energetics.
The main annual prize, named after Professor Alfrēds Vītols, “For outstanding contribution to energetics 2022”, was awarded to the leading researcher of the ISSP UL’s Laboratory of Materials for Energy Harvesting and Storage, Dr. Phys. Jānis Kleperis.
Since the foundation of the ISSP UL, Jānis Kleperis has been engaged in the research of hydrogen harvesting and storage technologies and has devoted his whole academic and scientific life to these topics. He established and headed the Laboratory of Hydrogen Energy Materials at the ISSP UL, which, as the field of research expanded, was renamed the Laboratory of Materials for Energy Harvesting and Storage.
Jānis Kleperis has actively participated in the National Research Programs for energy research. Currently, he leads the work package "Evaluation of hydrogen production technologies depending on the resource, energy consumption, costs, flexibility and expansion possibilities". Jānis Kleperis is also a notable author of scientific publications and has significantly contributed to pedagogical work.
During the event, Kaspars Cikmačs, a member of the board of JSC "Latvenergo", said that the energy sector in Europe and Latvia was currently facing serious challenges and was experiencing extensive changes. Therefore, innovations and green solutions for energy harvesting were urgently needed. He emphasized that to achieve climate neutrality, we needed to introduce the latest technologies, one of which was hydrogen technology, which had both advantages and development prospects. At the end of his speech, the “Latvenergo” representative expressed his honor and congratulated Jānis Kleperis, who had dedicated his professional life to our future - hydrogen technology and its potential."
JSC “Latvenergo” is a state-owned electric utility company in Latvia. It operates in electricity and thermal energy generation and trade, electricity distribution services, and leasing of transmission system assets. It has a balanced and environmentally friendly energy generation portfolio, consisting mostly of hydropower plants and highly efficient combined heat and power plants. It is one of the most environmentally friendly electricity producers in the EU.
YouTube video about Jānis Kleperis and his lifetime research in Latvian
