In his talk, Dr. Çolpan highlighted the evolving role of electrolysers at the intersection of the electricity and hydrogen sectors, the operational modes that influence grid flexibility, and the importance of renewable-linked hydrogen production, storage integration, and system-service participation. He also outlined key challenges in grid–hydrogen coordination, including electricity price volatility, temporal correlation requirements, and infrastructure constraints.

Jointly organized by the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), and hosted by Mersin University, this high-level academic event brought together leading scholars and researchers in the energy field. The school featured comprehensive lectures on renewable energy technologies, energy system modeling, hydrogen, smart grids, energy ethics, and policy frameworks.

As part of the scientific program, Prof. Colpan delivered three expert-level lectures:

1. Effective Tools for Energy System Analysis and Modelling
   (22 July 2025)
   – Covered a wide array of software tools and platforms used for simulating, designing, and optimizing energy systems, including TRNSYS, EnergyPLAN, Aspen Plus, MATLAB/Simulink, and CFD tools.

2. Energy Storage Systems and Applications
   (24 July 2025, morning session)
   – Provided an in-depth overview of mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrochemical, and electrical energy storage systems, highlighting current technologies and future trends.

3. District Energy Systems
   (24 July 2025, afternoon session)
   – Focused on the development and future of 4th and 5th generation district heating and cooling networks, discussing planning strategies, system components, integration with renewables, and techno-economic assessment.

IHTEC-2025 brought together hundreds of researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers from around the world to explore the latest advances in hydrogen production, storage, utilization, safety, policy, and integration with renewable energy systems.

The success of the congress was made possible through the contributions of a broad team. Dr. Colpan expressed his deep appreciation to:

• The high-level administration of Dokuz Eylul University, especially Rector Prof. Dr. Bayram Yılmaz,

• The Hydrogen Technologies Association, under the leadership of President Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Dincer,

• His fellow co-chair and the Dean of Faculty of Engineering Prof. Dr. Azize Ayol,

• Technical Co-Chairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Akif Ezan and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Umut Karaoğlan,

• Organizing and executive committee members,

• And the many volunteers whose dedication ensured smooth and professional execution of the event.

Special recognition was also given to Dr. Adolfo Iulianelli for his valuable contributions to the success of the congress.

The event was supported by a diverse group of sponsors, including:
TENMAK, Armelsan Enerji, HABAŞ, Anton Paar, Hydrogenix, International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE), BPlas, Doğu İklimlendirme, Koç University Hydrogen Technologies Center, TÜBİTAK, Consapp Engineering, Truva Bakır, Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, BREW MOOD COFFEE TEA, KFC Gıda, Dimes A.Ş., and Eker.

Prof. Colpan noted that the knowledge shared and the collaborations formed during IHTEC-2025 will play a critical role in shaping a more sustainable and hydrogen-powered future. Serving as Co-Chair of this major international congress was both an honor and a reflection of his ongoing commitment to advancing hydrogen technologies.

Dr. Colpan, faculty member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, served as the moderator of the panel session titled:

“The Role of Hydrogen Energy in Net-Zero Emissions and Green Development Goals.”

The panel brought together prominent experts from the industry, including:

• Osman Arda Göçmen, FORD Otosan

• Elif Gödekemerdan, TEKSİS

• Yusuf Can Uz, Filament Technology

Throughout the session, the panelists shared insights on:

• Their organizations’ current activities and priorities in hydrogen energy,

• The development needs and opportunities within Türkiye’s hydrogen ecosystem,

• Industry-academia collaboration models,

• Technology-specific questions including fuel cell R&D, lightweight storage solutions, and industrial deployment.

The discussion also included forward-looking perspectives on the necessary steps to accelerate hydrogen adoption and advice for young engineers and entrepreneurs interested in entering this strategic field.

The summit itself was a success, thanks in large part to the contributions of students — particularly Samet Emirhan Öngören, a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate, who played a key role in organizing the event. The active participation of student societies and their engagement with industry leaders highlighted the university’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of engineers in Türkiye’s priority research areas.

Prof. Colpan served on the organizing committee of the summer school and also contributed as a speaker, delivering a presentation titled “Thermodynamic Assessment of Electrolyzers and Fuel Cells“.

The summer school was organized by the DEU Energy Application and Research Center with the generous support of the university’s senior administration. Special recognition was given to Prof. Dr. Bayram Yılmaz (Rector of DEU), Prof. Dr. Hamdi Şükür KILIÇ (Vice Rector), and Prof. Dr. Azize Ayol (Dean of the Faculty of Engineering) for their continued encouragement and contributions.

Throughout the three-day event, prominent experts delivered lectures on a wide array of subjects including fundamental thermodynamics, renewable energy systems, hydrogen and fuel cells, bio-thermodynamics, sustainable cities, net-zero exergy, energy storage, chemical exergy, and gasification technologies.

Keynote lectures were delivered by internationally renowned scholars:

• Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Dincer

• Prof. Dr. Yunus A. Çengel

• Prof. Dr. Arif Hepbaşlı

• Prof. Dr. Adnan Midilli

• Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özilgen

Contributing lectures were given by:

• Prof. Dr. Bayram Yılmaz (Rector of DEU)

• Prof. Dr. Can Özgür Colpan

• Prof. Dr. Mehmet Akif Ezan

In addition to the educational sessions, two panel discussions were held. One of them, focused on the HVAC sector, brought together industry professionals who shared insights and perspectives on the current and future state of the field, enriching the academic content with practical experience.

Dr. Colpan participated in the Evaluation Panel of National Science Center / Narodowe Centrum Nauki (NCN) as a Foreign Member of the Expert Team in Krakow, Poland, between February 24-26, 2025.

8^th International Hydrogen Technologies Congress (IHTEC -2024), Diyarbakır, Türkiye, 12-15 May 2024

• Çetinkaya S.A., Ezan M.A., Karaoglan M.U., and Çolpan, C. O. “Parametric Evaluation of a Hydrogen-driven Lightweight Vehicle with Thermally Coupled FC/MH tank system”
• Çelebi, C., Colpan, C.O., Devrim, Y.  0-D Mathematical Modeling of Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer
• Erdogan, A., Ozcan Bilgilioglu, O., Yildirim, O., Korkmaz, S.A., Inci, O.C., Colpan, C.O., “Thermodynamic Performance Assessment of PEMFC Powered Air to Water Heat Pump”

 12^th Global Conference on Global Warming (GCGW-2024), Şanlıurfa, Türkiye, 16 – 19 May 2024

• Tekin V., Karakor A., Korkmaz S. A., Çolpan C. Ö., Ezan M. A., Karaoğlan M. U., Erek A., Çetkin E., “Comparative Analysis Of Lumped Model and NTGK Model Approaches For Li-Ion Batteries”
• Karakor A., Tekin V., Korkmaz S. A., Çolpan C. Ö., Ezan M. A., Karaoğlan M. U., Erek A., Yurddas A., “Investigation Of Cold Plate-Based Thermal Management System For Li-Ion Batteries”

37^th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems, Rhodes, Greece, 30 June – 5 July 2024

• Tekin V., Karakor A., Korkmaz S. A., Colpan, C.O., Ezan, M.A., Erek, A., Karaoglan, M.U., Kucuka, S. “Enhancing Electric Vehicle Performance: Optimizing Battery Thermal Management with Cold Plate Technology”
• Karakor A., Tekin V., Korkmaz S. A., Colpan, C.O., Ezan, M.A., Karaoglan, M.U., Yurddas, A. “Parametric Investigation of Immersion Type Thermal Management System of Li-Ion Pouch Battery Module”

International Conference on Energy, Environment and Storage of Energy-2024 (ICEESEN 2024), Cappadocia, Türkiye, 5-7 September 2024

• Gulay, E.D., Colpan, C.O., Ezan, M.A. “Techno-Economic Analysis of Wind-Powered Green Hydrogen Production Based on Modular Pem Electrolyzer: A Case Study for Izmir, Türkiye”

Dr. Colpan gave two lectures in this Summer School: “Fuel Cells” and “Energy Storage Systems and Applications”.