Zero Emissions Award: Research Projects for an Emission-Free Future Awarded €1.2 million in Funding
Austria's highest privately endowed funding for climate-relevant basic research enters its second round: Rajesh B. Jethwa (ISTA), Eva Maria Prem (University of Innsbruck), and Katalin Barta Weissert (University of Graz) submitted innovative proposals and are the newest recipients of the Zero Emissions Award from the alpha+ Foundation of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
June 16, 2025
With the annual Zero Emissions Awards, the alpha+ Foundation funds outstanding basic research projects that will help us achieve the goal of a climate-neutral future – projects that are not only scientifically excellent and technologically innovative, but whose findings will also have an ecological impact in the future. The funded projects for the second round of awards have now been announced: Rajesh B. Jethwa from the Institute of Science and Technology (ISTA) was awarded €375,000 for research into sustainable battery technologies, Eva Maria Prem will receive €407,000 to pursue new approaches for generating energy from waste materials, and Katalin Barta Weissert from the University of Graz is receiving €378,000 in funding to explore replacing petrochemicals in the pharmaceutical industry with renewable alternatives. All three awards are made possible by a donation from US entrepreneur Patrick S. Dumont to the alpha+ Foundation of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
“Congratulations to Rajesh B. Jethwa, Eva Maria Prem, and Katalin Barta Weissert on their outstanding research projects, which are now being recognized with a Zero Emissions Award,” said Georg Winckler, Chair of the alpha+ Foundation, at the announcement of the Zero Emissions Awards. “This year's projects once again show basic research’s key role in achieving the goal of a sustainable future. This research provides today’s foundations for the innovations and solutions of tomorrow.”
“Philanthropy can provide an important stimulus in science and research, where many social achievements begin. The Zero Emissions Award makes a valuable contribution and enables promising research projects whose results will make an impact far beyond the realm of science. Our thanks go to Patrick Dumont, whose commitment has once again made this award possible,” says Ursula Jakubek, Deputy Chair of the alpha+ Foundation and Executive Vice-President of the FWF.
“It is impressive to see the outstanding research being carried out in Austria, especially in a field that is so crucial for the future of our planet. This year, for the second time, the presentation of the Zero Emissions Award highlights how diverse and innovative solutions in the areas of climate, energy, and the environment can be. I wholeheartedly congratulate the award winners, whose projects exemplify truly pioneering approaches in innovation. My thanks go to the Austrian Science Fund, whose support makes this scientific excellence possible in the first place. To me and my family, it is very important to continue supporting science and climate-friendly achievements in Austria,” says Patrick S. Dumont, who is impressed by the research projects.
Renewable energies such as wind and solar power are not always available when we need them, which is why improved, scalable batteries for energy storage are crucial. But today’s batteries often depend on rare or unethically sourced materials, which makes them unsafe, environmentally harmful, and geopolitically problematic. In his project, chemist Rajesh B. Jethwa at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) is investigating new battery materials made from sustainably available elements. The advantages of organic materials (adaptable and potentially recyclable) are combined with those of metal-based materials (current industry standards with high stability). The aim is to develop new types of battery electrodes that can store energy in both metallic and organic components. By analyzing material structures and performance, the aim is to design high-performance, long-lasting, and sustainable batteries that are less dependent on critical raw materials. This could be an important step towards safe and environmentally friendly energy storage solutions.
With her basic research project, microbiologist Eva Maria Prem at the University of Innsbruck is investigating the role of extracellular polymers during the anaerobic fermentation of poorly degradable substrates and their influence on the resilience of microorganisms in biogas processes. The utilization of biogas already plays an important role in climate protection and the supply of sustainable energy. The fermentation of organic waste produces a climate-neutral energy source that has not yet been sufficiently exploited. Biogas not only contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also helps to recycle waste in a meaningful way and recycle fermentation residues as valuable fertilizer. The aim of the research project is to understand the complex microbial dependencies in biogas reactors and to investigate the resistance of microorganisms to contaminants in order to ensure a stable degradation cascade and continuous biogas production.
Extracting pharmaceutically relevant molecules from wood
Chemist Katalin Barta Weissert from the University of Graz is researching new ways of using components of wood in chemical processes in medicine. Her research focuses on environmentally friendly methods for obtaining pharmaceutically relevant molecules from lignin-containing biomass. Her newly developed process converts lignin – one of the main components of wood – to a substance that can be used in the chemical industry. This work’s contribution to a zero-emissions future is two-fold: It replaces petrochemical source materials with renewable resources and supports the pharmaceutical industry on its way to a circular bioeconomy.
Submissions for the Zero Emissions Award 2026
Researchers from universities and non-university research institutions can submit climate-relevant research proposals for the Zero Emissions Award on an ongoing basis. Proposals must focus on one of the following three fields:
Basic research from all scientific disciplines with the potential to initiate innovations in the field of renewable energies and the energy transition
Basic research for technologies that contribute to the success of the energy transition
Basic research in the field of behavioral research on the use of renewable energies
The Austrian Science Fund’s nonprofit alpha+ Foundation
With the alpha+ Foundation, the FWF was the first publicly funded research funding agency in Europe to establish a nonprofit foundation to channel philanthropy as a means of opening up additional opportunities for Austria’s researchers in basic research. The objective of the FWF’s alpha+ Foundation is to create new research grants based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and support the careers of highly talented young researchers. Currently, private donations allow the FWF to finance research projects worth €2.5 million each year.
Do you want to help open a new chapter in Austrian research history?
It’s not just the large donations – smaller contributions can also make a big difference. Get in touch for an initial conversation. The board of the alpha+ Foundation looks forward to meeting you and introducing all of the available options.
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