In January 2024, the Department of Electrical Engineering of the University of Malta, started work on the project SGdrive, funded by Xjenza Malta. The project’s full title is High Reliability and High Power Density Starter/Generator System for MEA (SGdrive) and is headed by Prof Inġ Michael Galea. The project aimed to address technical challenges in designing starter-generator systems for More Electric Aircraft (MEA). Key technical achievements include lightweight design, high-efficiency thermal management, modular high-fault-tolerant systems, and high-reliability operation control strategies. The University of Malta's focus lies in novel lifetime modeling and prediction techniques, contributing to advancements in aviation electrification technologies.

Beyond its technical achievements, the SGdrive project has also delivered an important and perhaps less visible impact: the transfer of knowledge across industries. Although the project focused on electrical machine design for aerospace applications, many of the insights gained have proven highly relevant to other sectors, most notably automotive electrification.

Engineers and researchers involved in SGdrive were able to apply lessons learned from designing high-performance starter-generator systems for aircraft to the development of electrical machines for automotive use. Challenges such as achieving high power density, managing heat effectively, and ensuring long-term reliability under demanding conditions are shared across both fields. By leveraging advanced modelling techniques and reliability-focused design approaches developed at the University of Malta, the team was able to inform and improve the design of an automotive electrical machine, as later presented in a peer-review publication (DOI 10.1109/ICEM60801.2024.10700291).

This cross-sector knowledge transfer highlights how innovation in one field can accelerate progress in another. In particular, it shows how cutting-edge aerospace research can contribute to the advancement of cleaner and more efficient road transport technologies. The SGdrive project therefore not only advances the state of the art in aviation systems, but also supports broader efforts towards electrification and sustainability in the automotive industry.

For more information, please contact the principal investigator Prof Inġ M. Galea on michael.d.galea@um.edu.mt or the Department of Electrical Engineering on ele.eng@um.edu.mt.

For centuries, olive cultivation has been rooted in tradition. Today, however, climate change is disrupting this balance, with heatwaves and water scarcity threatening both yield and quality. In response, the SOLEATECH project - developed by WES TRADE LTD (Malta) and Bahçeşehir University (Türkiye) under the bilateral call PRIMA Xjenza Malta- TÜBİTAK 2023 - is introducing a new paradigm: data-driven olive farming.

The first phase of the project focused on establishing a “Digital Twin” of olive orchards through the deployment of advanced IoT infrastructure. Using the IRRIGOPTIMAL platform, solar-powered Smart Nodes equipped with soil moisture, nutrient, and weather sensors were installed across pilot sites in Malta and Türkiye. This system enabled continuous, real-time monitoring of hyper-local environmental conditions.

A key scientific breakthrough emerged from this phase: the identification of the “Microclimate Gap.” Data analysis showed that regional weather models can overestimate orchard temperatures up to 8°C. This discrepancy can lead to inefficient irrigation decisions and unnecessary stress on crops.

By validating the importance of localized data, SOLEATECH demonstrated that precision agriculture must rely on field-level intelligence rather than generalized forecasts. This foundational phase sets the stage for advanced analytics and AI-driven decision-making in modern olive farming.

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The Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETPartnership) is announcing its fifth annual call, Joint Call 2026. The call is launched in collaboration with funding organisations and programme owners across Europe and beyond. The annual calls align national and regional funding programmes and enable transnational collaboration across the energy value chain. 

The CETPartnership is an RDI programme that supports the transition towards a climate-neutral and sustainable European energy system.

General information about the application process

The Joint Call 2026 is structured into 11 Call Modules. These modules cover different thematic areas, scopes, RDI types, and Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). More information on topics under Joint Call 2026 will be made available leading up to the Call Launch event.

The call consists of a two-stage application process. First, a submission of a pre-proposal, followed by an invitation to submit a full proposal. 

• Stage 1: Submission of a pre-proposal
  A project consortium chooses one Call Module for the pre-proposal (scroll further to find the name of this year's Call Modules). If the pre-proposal is selected, the project consortium is invited to submit a full proposal.

• Stage 2: Submission of a full proposal
  Only if the pre-proposal is invited to participate in Stage 2 can the applicants begin preparing a full proposal.

Funding for Joint Call 2026 is a collaboration with funding organisations and programme owners, who will fund eligible costs directly to Beneficiary Partners based in their country/region. 
Applicants must therefore comply with the specific national/regional eligibility criteria and requirements, which can be found in the call text. Several funding organisations can require submission of a proposal at national/regional level. 

After the selection of projects from the full proposal stage, the funding organisations are responsible for contracting and processing payments.

General information about eligibility criteria and requirements

The Joint Call includes the following eligibility criteria and requirements:

• Transnational eligibility requirements, applicable for all project consortia applying to the Call.

• Call Module requirements, applicable for project consortia applying to Call Modules with specific thematic requirements.

• National/regional requirements, applicable for partners applying for funding from Funding Agencies in the Call.

All Project Consortium Partners are encouraged to carefully check all eligibility criteria and requirements, which will be outlined in the call text. Different Call Modules and different Funding Agencies may support different types of entities, TRLs, etc. 

Upon a successful full proposal, it is important for applicants to know that payment will be provided directly through the respective funding organisation under which the partner applied. The CETPartnership Call Management Team is only responsible for coordinating and processing the applications on behalf of the funding organisations involved. 

To learn more about the upcoming Joint Call 2026, please join us for the Call Launch scheduled at the end of May (date TBC).

More information about the call text, modules and requirements will follow this winter/spring. 

Please be advised that the call modules are subject to change.

For further information, follow the link.

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The report “Gaps and uncertainties in aviation non-CO₂ effects on climate” sums up the current state of scientific understanding and highlights priority areas where further research is needed. 

The impact of aviation on climate goes beyond carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, including non-CO₂ factors such as nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulphur oxides (SOX), water vapour, particulates, and the formation of contrails and cirrus clouds. 

Developed by the Aviation Non-CO ₂ Expert Network (ANCEN), coordinated by the EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency and supported under Horizon Europe, the report identifies priority areas for further research. 

Read the report link.europa.eu/vJgRgv
 

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