Institute

INSTITUTE OF ENERGY AND FUEL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

What
we do

The Institute conducts priority research for the economy on the efficient use of fossil, renewable and alternative fuels. The Institute's area of ​​competence focuses on their thermochemical processing in gasification, pyrolysis and combustion processes.

Key Information

The INSTITUTE OF ENERGY AND FUEL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY (before Institute of Chemical Coal Processing)

operates pursuant to the Act on Research Institutes of 30 April 2010 (Journal of Laws 10.96.618)
The Institute was established pursuant to the resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 192/55 in 1955.
The Institute's supervisory body is the Minister of Industry.

The main recipients of the Institute's know-how are companies from the energy, coking and waste management industries, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises and government and local government administration bodies.
The Institute cooperates in the implementation of research and development projects with over 50 domestic and foreign research and development centers.

Main Staff

DIRECTOR
Aleksander Sobolewski
In 1986 he graduated from Chemical Faculty in Silesian University of Technology with the diploma in chemical engineering. His PhD thesis in chemical engineering was presented and defended in 1993 at Silesian University of Technology as well. Since 1987 he has been employed at the Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal (IChPW) in Zabrze, where he initially, from 2004 to 2013, was Deputy Direction for Research and Development and since then he holds the position of Director of the Institute. He authored several monographic textbooks, more than 180 scientific papers and was granted with 20 patents. Key areas of research interests and competence subjects of Dr. Sobolewski include coking technologies, power engineering and waste management. He actively participates in many projects aimed at sustainable development of economy, transformation of the national policy in energy production and consumption and extensive ecology-supporting efforts in terms of all subjects related to management of waste products and generation of so-called ‘green energy’. His outstanding position in global science is confirmed by membership in various national and worldwide organizations, for instance he is a member of European Coking Committee (since 2001) and the Chairman of the Environmental Working Group (since 2013) within its structures, an expert for the Polish Chamber of Ecology for the issues of wastes, President of the Technical Workgroup for the coke industry, a member of the Steering Committee of Polish Technological Platform for Steel, where he used to be the Deputy Chairman from 2010 to 2013, a member and since 2011 the Chairman of the Technical Committee No. 144 for Coke and Processed Fossil Fuels in Polish Standardization Commission, a member of Association of Engineering and Technicians of Steelmaking Industry (SITPH), where in 2011 he was nominated as the President of Carbon Chemistry Division.
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DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Jarosław Zuwała
In 1998 he graduated with honour from Faculty of Environmental and Power Engineering in Silesian University of Technology where he defended his PhD thesis in 2004 and was nominated as a PhD in technical science with the major in construction and operation of machinery. In 2013 he was awarded with the title of Doctor of Science in the field of environment protection with the specialization in clean carbon technologies. Since 2020 he has been a full (nominated) professor of engineering and technical sciences. His expertise was enhanced by apprenticeship collaboration at universities (DTU in Dennmark in 2001), research and development organizations (TNO in the Netherland in 2005 and industrial companies (Ahlstrom Pumps Co. in Finland in 1995, Energi E2 in Denmark in 1997). Being a renowned expert he was nominated as Chairman of Coordination Team for National Network of Authorized Laboratories “LABIOMEN’, and became a member of Power Engineering Commission in Polish Academy of Science for its branch in Katowice and represented Poland to the European Industrial Initiative in the field of CCS. In 2010 the Minister of Economy granted him the honour “For Merits in Power Engineering”. Extensive experience in management of research teams involved in various scientific and research projects enabled him to succeed in national and international contests for financial donations and run cooperation with foreign scientific organizations. His research and scientific output includes more than 160 publications and numerous speeches at various conferences.
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SCIENTIFIC SECRETARY
Sławomir Stelmach
Mr. Stelmach has been holding the position of Scientific Secretary since 2021. The subsequent steps in his research and scientific career include the MSc. Eng. diploma in chemical engineering in 1994 at Faculty of Chemistry in Silesian University of Technology, PhD degree in technical sciences in 2004 with the major in environmental engineering, awarded by Faculty of Environmental and Power Engineering and the DSc nomination in 2019 at the same faculty and university. The areas of his professional interests include thermal methods for conversion of wastes, manufacturing and application of carbon adsorbents and low emission carbon fuels as well as technologies for purification of process gases. He is an author or co-author of more than 130 scientific papers published in national and international journals, entire monographic textbooks or chapters of the same, more than 150 expert reports and research studies as well as a dozen of patents. Owing to his broad expertise, the National Team for Smart Specialization (KIS 4) nominated him as a member responsible for highly efficient, low-emission and integrates systems for generation, storage, transmission and distribution of energy. He is also a member of Technical Committee #216 for Wastes in Polish Standardization Commission. His spare time is filled with reading of popular scientific stories and novels as well as non-fiction books.
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CHIEF ACCOUNTANT
Agata Rybczyńska
Since January 2020 Ms. Rybczyńska has been employed at Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal (IChPW) as the Chief Accountant and the manager for Department of Planning and Finances. Her career at the Institute started in 2012 and in 2015 she became Head for the Team of Planning, Controlling and Public Procurements with further promotion to Deputy Manager for Department of Planning and Finances. Being a graduator of University of Economy in Katowice with the major of accountancy, she is rated among key personnel at the company and is involved in issues in the areas of financial reporting, accountancy and related fields. As a real professional she tends to be up to date with all regulations applicable to keeping of financial books, compiling of tax records, development of financial reports with analysis of their content, which needs permanent upgrade of theoretical knowledge and training of practical skills to make them useful for efficient management of the company.
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HEAD FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TRANSITION
Karina Ignasiak
In 2006 Ms. Ignasiak graduated from Mechanical Faculty in Opole University of Technology with the major in Environmental Engineering and specialization in Efficient Energy Management, with further studies until 2020, when she defended her PhD thesis and was awarded the PhD degree in the field of Construction and Operation of Machinery. Since 2011 she has been employed at Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal (IChPW), where she worked as Head for the Team of Fuel Preparation. Dr. Ignasik possesses a broad scope of competences, including the ones related to mechanical and thermal technologies used for preparation of fuels and wastes to optimize generation of energy from them as well as in low-emission carbon fuels and processing of hydrogen. She is interested in topics in the field of innovativeness psychology, including motivation and stimulation to creative work, management in transition processes and psychological aspect of economic transformations. This led to supplementary bachelor studies at University of Security in Poznań, completed in 2019 with a BSc diploma in Psychology of Business and Management, with continuation of MSc studies at DSW University of Lower Silesia in Wrocław, where she worked on her MSc thesis and carried out extensive studies on issues related to readiness of managing staff in the mining sector to changes imposed by the perspective of energy transformation in economy. Since 2021 Dr. Ignasiak has been the Head for the Department of Energy Transition in the Institute.
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HEAD FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Tomasz Iluk
In 2007 Mr. Tomasz Iluk completed his studies and graduated from Faculty of Environment and Power Engineering in Silesian University of Technology with the major in Thermal Power Plants and Machinery for Energy Generation. Later on he succeeded in development of his PhD thesis at the same faculty and was awarded the PhD degree in power engineering. The further career included employment, from 2008, at the position of an engineer and then an assistant professor at the Institute with promotion to Head of the Team for Gasification Technologies at the Centre of Technological Studies. The scope of his competences covers recycling technologies and recovery of useful materials from wastes by means of thermal, chemical and metallurgical conversion, technologies for chemical utilization of process gases as well as optimization of technologies used by industrial plants to meet severe environmental requirements due to implementation of the closed-circuit economy. Mr. Tomasz Iluk is also involved in research studies on technologies for use of coal, biomass and wastes for generation of energy, with particular attention to gasification technologies as well as on technologies for purification of process gases with further use of them for energy generation, with business analyses and feasibility studies for innovative technologies based on use of fossil fuels and wastes. His scientific output includes more than a dozen of authored or co-authored papers published in national and international journals, a dozen of expert reports and research studies. Membership in various research bodies, like Commission of Power Engineering and Commission of Environment Protection of the Polish Academy of Science is a confirmation of his prominent status in the science. He is also a member of Program Council for the annual conference Market of Gas/Market of Heat. In 2021 he became Head of the Department of Circular Economy within the Institute. In his private life he is devoted to mountain tourisms both in winter and in summer and reads contemporary books in leisure time.
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HEAD FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COKEMAKING TECHNOLOGIES
Bartosz Mertas
In 2001 Mr. Mertas completed his MSc. studies at Chemical Faculty of Silesian University of Technology with the major in chemical technologies and specialization in physical measurements in chemical technologies. In 2014 the Faculty of Power Engineering and Fuels in AGH University of Technologies in Cracow awarded him with the PhD degree in the field of chemical technologies. Right after completion of university education he started his professional career at the Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal (IChPW), where he was promoted in 2014 to the position of Deputy Director for Laboratory Research Centre and since 2021 he has been the acting manager for Department of Cokemaking Technologies in the Institute. Key areas, where Dr. Mertas demonstrated his competences, include evaluation of raw materials in terms of their suitability for the coking process, optimization of coal mixture compositions to make coke with quality and parameters as expected by customers and selection of alternative ingredients to coal charges. His scientific output covers more than a dozen of scientific papers published in national and international journals, few dozens of expert reports and research studies. The Institute appointed Dr. Mertas to be its representative to Technical Committees #144 and #220 of Polish Standardization Commission. He is also a technical auditor for Polish Centre of Accreditation and actively participates in works of the carbon chemistry branch in the Association of Engineering and Technicians of Steelmaking Industry (SITPH), being a treasurer for the organization and Deputy Chair of the Association (SITPH) unit in the Institute. For many years he has actively supported Polish Scout Association (ZHP) being a scout instructor. The hobby where Mr. Mertas focuses his attention in spare time is photography.
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HEAD FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AIR PROTECTION
Jolanta Telenga-Kopyczyńska
In 2001 Ms. Telenga-Kopczyńska graduated from Faculty of Environmental and Power Engineering in Silesian University of Technology with the major in Environmental Engineering and Nature Conservation and then carried on her post-graduate studies in the same year and faculty with the specialization in management of enterprises. Her PhD dissertation was defended in 2021 in Faculty of Organization and Management in Silesian University of Technology and she was awarded with the degree in engineering and technical sciences, the field of mechanical engineering. Her employment in the Institute dates back to 2004, initially as a Quality Manager and in 2015 she was nominated as Head for the Team of Environmental Engineering in the Centre for Technological Research of the Institute. Her scope of competences cover all issues related to protection of natural environment, including modern and low emission heating appliances, optimization of financial expenditures assigned to mitigation of low emission, development of analytic and financial schemes aimed to reach environmental neutrality of urban areas, evaluation of various policies aimed at protection of environment in the aspects of environmental efficiency as well as mobile technologies for monitoring and of air pollution and evaluation of air quality. She authored or co-authored several dozens of scientific papers published in national and international journals as well as several dozen expert reports and research studies. In really scarce moment of spare time she is focused on efficient management of time and meditations.
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HEAD FOR THE LABORATORY OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Edyta Misztal
In 2007 Ms. Edyta Misztal graduated from Faculty of Chemical Technologies in Silesian University of Technology with the major in Chemical Technologies and Protection of Environment and then continued her education as post-graduate studies at Faculty of Fuels and Energy in AGH University of Technology in Cracow with the specialization in Modern Management Methods and Technologies for Coking Industry. Currently she is working on her PhD dissertation in the same faculty. From 2008 she was employed as an engineer in Laboratory of Fuel and Active Carbon Products of Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal (IChPW) with the promotion to the position of assistant in 2010. Her scope of competences covers such issues as investigation of solid fossils, reusable fuels and products of their thermal conversion, studies on concentrations of substances hazardous to natural environment and released from processes of thermal and chemical conversion of biomass, coal, coke and other coal-derived products as well as determination of mercury content in technological processes with searching for solutions intended to balance the mercury content and to mitigate its emission to atmosphere. The practical application of such studies enables analyses of physical and chemical properties of post-combustion ash to trace illegal combustion or co-combustion of wastes. Dr. Misztal is involved in numerous research projects related to application of low-temperature pyrolysis to remove mercury from solid fossils before combustion or gasification processes. In 2016 she was nominated as Deputy Head for Laboratory of Fuels and Active Carbon Products. Since 2016 she has been a member of Technical Committee KT 220, Natural Solid Fossils, at Polish Standardization Commission and in 2021 was nominated as Head for Laboratory of Analytic Chemistry in the Institute. In spare time she plays squash and does jogging.
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HEAD OF ADMINISTRATION AND TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
Łukasz Gawliński

Mr. Gawliński graduated from Faculty of Environmental and Power Engineering in Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice with the MSc. Eng. diploma. Subsequently he completed post-graduate studies at WSB University in Poznań and at Silesian University in Katowice with the major in public procurements, administration and management as well as in occupational health and safety. Since 2009 he has been working for the Institute as Head for the Administrative and Technical Division. His scope of responsibilities includes public procurements, occupational health and safety, administration of IT systems, management of extensive research and development projects as well as investment projects, including projects with a support from EU funds. He has focused in management of technical and field infrastructure. Moreover, he has broad expertise in IT projects, including implementation of ERP, EDMS and CRM systems with application of artificial intelligence to process optimization.

His scope of interests covers issues from the area of administration and organization with special attention to team management, risk management and conflict management. Owing to his long years of experience and advanced skills in all foregoing fields he is a valuable leader for implementation of sophisticated and innovative projects.

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Composition of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Fuel and Energy Technology (formerly the Institute of Chemical Processing of Coal) for the term 2021-2025

Scientific Council

Chairman of the Scientific Council

1. Janusz Kotowicz prof. (Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice)

Deputy Chairmans of Scientific Council

1. Wojciech Nowak prof. (AGH UST Center of Energy, Kraków)
2. Sławomir Stelmach, PhD, DSc. prof. Institute

Members of the Scientific Council (appointed by the supervising minister)

1. Julita Mrowiec-Białońi, PhD, DSc., prof.
2. Dariusz Prostański, PhD, DSc., prof. ITG KOMAG
3. Marta Jarno
4. Henryk Kubiczek
5. Mariusz Soszyński
6. Tomasz Stec
7. Mirosław Skibski

Members of Scientific Council (from Insitute)

1. Janusz Lasek, PhD, DSc., prof. Institute
2. Tomasz Iluk, PhD
3. Katarzyna Matuszek, PhD
4. Lucyna Więcław-Solny, PhD
5. Adam Tatarczuk, PhD

In accordance with the Act on Research Institutes, the Scientific Council also includes:

1. Barbara Juszczyk, PhD - representative of the minister responsible for higher education and science,
2. Jarosław Zuwała prof. - R&D Deputy Director (ITPE).

Secretary of the Scientific Council of ITPE
Contact

Institute of Energy and Fuel Processing Technology
ul. Zamkowa 1
41-803 Zabrze
Poland

Important events in the development of the Institute

1955

The Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal was established

1961

Start-up of the Formulated Coke Production Plant

1976

Implementation of Government Programs

1986

Commissioning of the Coal Refining Centre

1996

Obtaining accreditation of AB081 laboratories/ starting energy and emission tests of residential heating devices

Zdjęcie przedstawiające Logotyp Labiomen Ogólnokrajowa Sieć Laboratoriów Nadzorowanych
2004

Start-up of the National Network of Supervised Laboratories

Zdjęcie przedstawiające Logotyp Centrum Czystych Technologii Węglowych
2013

Start-up of the Clean Coal Technology Centre

2015

Implementation of Strategic Research and Development Programmes

2022

Name change