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PowerLab · Smart Energy Systems Laboratory

Engineering the shift to
100% renewable energy

We develop the models, tools and analyses behind renewable energy integration, district heating, energy storage and the decarbonisation of whole energy systems.

University of Zagreb · Faculty of Mechanical Engineering & Naval Architecture
€10M+ Total Funding Since 1996
20+ International EU Projects
h=72 Lead Researcher h-index
440+ Graduates

Smart Energy Systems Laboratory

PowerLab is a research laboratory at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb. The laboratory conducts applied and fundamental research on integrated energy systems, combining scientific research, experimental work, digital modelling and collaboration with industry to address challenges related to the energy transition. Active areas include energy system modelling, combustion and alternative fuels, district heating, offshore wind, marine systems and energy storage.
A significant methodological contribution came in 2011, through collaboration with Aalborg University on the EU-funded 4DH project. The joint work produced the Smart Energy Systems framework: an integrated approach to energy planning that treats electricity, heating, cooling and transport as a single system. This framework is now incorporated in Croatia's National Energy Plan and referenced in European Commission strategy documents.
About the Laboratory
1996
PowerLab Founded
A computer classroom at FSB becomes an energy research hub.
1999
First EU Project
RenewIslands (FP5) places FSB on the European renewable energy map.
2011
Smart Energy Systems Framework
Co-developed with Aalborg University through the EU-funded 4DH project.
2024
Smart Energy Systems Laboratory Established
Faculty Council formally establishes the laboratory.

Research Areas

The laboratory conducts research across five interconnected areas of energy systems engineering, combining numerical modelling, simulation, experimental validation and spatial analysis.

01 Energy System Modelling

National and regional energy planning with H2RES, our in-house tool used in 15+ countries. Scenarios for 100% renewable energy at island, regional, and continental scale.

H2RESEnergyPLANGurobi
02 Combustion & Alternative Fuels

CFD modelling of spray combustion, biofuel characterisation, and numerical simulation with AVL FIRE, applied in transport, industry, and power generation contexts.

CFDAVL FIREBiofuelsGreen Ammonia
03 District Heating & GIS

Spatial modelling of heat demand, district heating network optimisation, and biomass supply chains, from city-level GIS tools to cross-border Danube region projects.

GIS4th Gen DHBiomassP-graph
04 Renewable Technologies & System Integration

Offshore wind resource assessment, grid integration studies, marine ecosystem modelling and biorefinery pathways across the Adriatic-Ionian region. Active in ADRIONwind and SWIM.

Offshore WindBiorefineriesADRIONMarine GIS
05 Energy Storage, Flexibility & Sectors Decarbonisation

Long-duration storage architectures, building energy renovation at scale, and transition pathways for hard-to-abate sectors, from Croatia's One-Stop-Shop to multi-energy network optimisation.

Energy StorageBuildingsHard-to-Abate
See our research

€4M+ Running Right Now

The laboratory currently manages approximately 30 active projects under Horizon Europe, LIFE and Interreg programmes. This work is supported by a well-established research team with a long track record of successful project implementation.

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Horizon Europe€2,674,187
LIFE / EUKI€752,399
Interreg€585,012
Erasmus+ / Other€35,592
Total active (FSB share) €4,047,190
Decarbonising an energy system can't be improvised. It has to be modelled, planned, and built on evidence, across electricity, heat and transport together.
Smart Energy Systems Laboratory · FSB Zagreb

Life at the Lab

Conferences, awards, field work and everyday research. A look at the people behind the projects.

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Trusted by & working with
Aalborg UniversityTU MunichUniversity of ViennaHEP GroupAVL AustriaGIZ GermanyJožef Stefan InstituteEuroheat & PowerEIHPREGEASDEWESAalborg UniversityTU MunichUniversity of ViennaHEP GroupAVL AustriaGIZ GermanyJožef Stefan InstituteEuroheat & PowerEIHPREGEASDEWES

Study Smart Energy Systems at FSB

Graduate students in the Energy Systems specialisation work alongside researchers on active EU-funded projects. The programme combines advanced coursework with applied research in energy modelling, district heating, combustion and offshore wind.

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Research Collaboration

The laboratory participates in Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg and bilateral projects. We contribute energy system modelling, simulation, GIS-based spatial analysis and experimental work to research consortia.

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