On March 24, the national conference “Thermal Energy and Technologies – 2026” was held at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU)’s Santakos Valley. The conference was organized by KTU in collaboration with its partners—the Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI), the Lithuanian District Heating Association (LŠTA), and the Lithuanian Thermal Engineering Association (LTERA). The event addressed the most pressing issues in the thermal energy sector, technological solutions, and future development directions. The conference focused heavily on energy transition, examining technological solutions, economic indicators, and energy security issues.
Discussions covered the priorities for the transformation of Lithuania’s energy systems, building energy efficiency policy, the need for innovation in the district heating sector, as well as the security and resilience of energy systems. Emphasis was placed on the integration of renewable energy sources, improving the efficiency of the heating sector, and long-term development directions for the energy sector.
A Look at the Specialists of the Future
Conference participants were welcomed by Dean of the KTU Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kazimieras Juzėnas, and LEI Director Prof. Dr. Saulius Gudžius. The welcoming remarks emphasized the importance of cooperation between academia, business, and the public sector in implementing the energy transition.
Part of the conference focused on the transformation of engineering studies and the competencies of future energy specialists. A number of leaders from Technical Universities and large energy companies participated in the discussion “Competencies of Energy Professionals in 2030: Integration of Technology, Economics, and System Resilience,” where he discussed the role of science in training highly qualified specialists and strengthening the sector’s competitiveness.
Projects in the spotlight
Last but not least, conference also featured presentations on the results of projects funded by EU via Interreg Programme, Horizon Europe, Life and the Lithuanian Science Council, highlighting the benefits of collaboration between science and business as well as the practical applicability of technological solutions.
The Lithuanian Energy Institute presented the Horizon Europe–funded project “Utilization of Renewable Resources and Waste Heat in Industry Using Cooling and Energy Harvesting Technologies” (RE-WITCH), which aims to deliver economically competitive solutions for sustainable industrial cooling and heating.
Two projects funded by the LIFE programme were also introduced. The first, Re-Energize, focuses on strengthening the competencies of workers in the heat pump sector through a comprehensive assessment of skill needs and the strategic planning of targeted actions. The second, “Development of Methodologies for Integrating Low-Potential Energy Sources into Higher-Temperature District Heating Networks” (Low2HighDH), supports the transformation of high-temperature district heating systems by implementing technologies that utilize low-potential and waste heat.
In addition, two projects implemented by the Lithuanian Energy Institute and funded under Interreg Programs were presented. “Local Heat Planning – Achieving the Heat Transition in BSR Municipalities” (PlanHeat) brings together municipalities and expert organizations from seven Baltic Sea Region countries to jointly develop an international guide for preparing local heat plans.
Last but not least – “Decarbonization of District Heating Systems” (DecarbonDHS), which aims to promote the decarbonization of district heating systems and facilitate the transition to sustainable, low-carbon solutions by integrating renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, utilizing industrial waste heat, and applying energy storage technologies was featured. This session was moderated by dr. Rimantas Bakas, a researcher at the LEI Heating Equipment Research and Testing Laboratory.
