PC25 - 25th International Conference on Process Control took place in  Štrbske Pleso, Slovakia from June 3-6, 2025. Our LARES team member Ana Martinović , MSc presented a paper: "Optimal Control of Hot Oil Preparation for Natural Gas Fractionation" , by Ana Martinović and Mario Vašak. We are proud to share that Ana received the Best Paper by Female Researcher Award.

This year’s PhD Day at   Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER) took place on June 5th 2025, and  LARES  was proud to take part with a strong and diverse presence. Our doctoral students presented a range of exciting research topics through posters and presentations at panel sessions. The atmosphere was inspiring and full of engaging exchanges – a true celebration of research and innovation. 🎥 You can rewatch the event on the FER's YouTube channel .  📸 Full photo gallery is available on FER's link .

From May 12–16, 2025, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana hosted the first SynGRID Summer School , an intensive, international program focused on the role of flexibility in Europe’s energy transition. With over 20 participants from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Greece, Portugal, and Norway, the week offered a dynamic mix of academic expertise, industry insight, and real-world applications. Our LARES researchers Ivan Grabić , Filip Rukavina and Antonio Karneluti were among the selected participants. Organized by the Institute for Innovation and Development of the University of Ljubljana and the Laboratory of Energy Policy , the summer school provided a platform for young researchers and professionals to explore key topics in power systems: battery storage, demand-side flexibility, smart grids, energy communities, and regulatory frameworks shaping Europe’s energy future. The program combined lectures with field visits to ELES , Slovenia’s national transmission and distribution operator, and NGEN , a pioneer in energy storage and grid services. These visits brought theory to life and showed how flexibility mechanisms are already supporting grid resilience and renewable integration. A big thank you to the organisers and speakers for hosting us in Ljubljana!

LARES team members, as part of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER) team, proudly represented Croatia at the EXPO 2025 World Exhibition, held in Osaka, Japan . Within the Croatia’s official participation, a team of researchers delivered a two-day presentation (13.-14.05.), highlighting the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, and sustainable technologies to an international audience. Within the exhibition, LARES team members Vinko Lešić , and Hrvoje Novak demonstrated the laboratory's long-standing research efforts in the area of artificial intelligence implementation in climate forecasting and its impact on energy, agriculture, and sustainable development. The events were personally attended by the Croatian Minister of Science, Education and Youth, Prof. Dr. Radovan Fuchs, who expressed strong support for Croatia’s scientific and academic community on the global stage. We are proud to have had the opportunity to present LARES and FER, our research projects, and our vision for the future on such a prestigious platform. We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth , the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs , and the Ministry of Economy for their support and collaboration, which enabled a successful presentation of Croatia and FER at EXPO.

On March 26th, 2025, the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER) and Laboratory for Renewable Energy Systems (LARES)   had the honor of hosting Professor Francesco Borrelli (Fanuc Professor, UC Berkeley), a leading expert in Model Predictive Control (MPC) and its applications in energy systems and autonomous systems. His lecture attracted students, researchers, and industry professionals eager to learn from one of the foremost authorities in control engineering.  

Pupils and teachers of the First Gymnasium Varaždin (PGV) from all four high school classes visited FER once again on Monday, March 24, 2025. The host at FER was Prof. Mario Vašak, Ph.D . The first lecture was held by Asst. Prof. Đula Nađ, Ph.D., in which he presented the field of maritime robotics and showed the equipment of the Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies ( LABUST ). Then Robert Milijaš, M.Sc. and Assoc. Prof. Tamara Petrović, Ph.D. presented the Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems ( LARICS ). Robert Milijaš showed the interesting equipment with which he conducts his research, and Tamara Petrović gave a lecture on multi-robot systems. After this motivating lecture, LARICS researchers Marijana Peti, M.Sc. and Marin Maletić, M.Sc. demonstrated the flying of small drones.  The aim of the visit was to increase students' interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It was co-financed through the project of the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth Innovative STEM learning for the digital future, which is carried out by PGV in cooperation with FER and also from the Interreg projects HyEfRe and Danube Indeet .