Luka Smajila is used to juggling a few big projects at a time – a skill that serves him well as he finishes his studies in the EIT InnoEnergy Master’s in Energy Technologies programme, starts an exciting industrial project with Northvolt and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and creates a new start-up! He’s always “on”, though he doesn’t see it as work but more like something that brings him closer to his vision of a sustainable future. Luka shares his journey so far and what’s next for this natural go-getter!
Studying at Uppsala
His fascination with energy storage and sustainable technologies started early during his BSc in Chemical Engineering, leading him to the EIT InnoEnergy Master School. He shares, “Following my master’s Year 1 in Lisbon, Portugal, I wanted to continue focusing on energy storage technologies, especially on batteries. Uppsala University is perfect, where lots of interesting companies for EIT InnoEnergy students are based and generally a great place for anyone interested in the energy sector. The Nordic’s energy mix is insanely good and learning what companies are doing (and investing in) to be even more sustainable is inspiring.”
Giving back
His time at Uppsala University has given him many opportunities on his path so far, so he wanted to give something back. “I became part of the Master’s in Energy Technologies Programme Council at Uppsala University as a student representative where we shaped the structure for the university to be a Year 1 option for future students. Good structure and support can greatly enable students to pick their paths and develop themselves to their full potential as energy engineers and I think we created this – and will keep improving it to make the best experience possible. Luka also has a podcast project (created with classmates Raghav Sharma, Carlos Arturo Castellanos and later Youssef Chehade) called eFika, where they discuss various aspects of energy technology to bring it closer to the general public.
A dream thesis
Luka shares, “I yearned for more industry experience and an opportunity to develop new skills and insights to continue my work towards a sustainable world. Northvolt, a battery producer set on making battery manufacturing and recycling as sustainable as possible, was my aim ever since I knew I would be coming to Sweden. I was able to do a master thesis project researching the supply chain structure and processes of the key element for modern batteries – Lithium. It was an excellent opportunity, and we delivered a great project to help shape a more sustainable supply chain.” His thesis was successfully defended in June, leading to another exciting collaboration with this EIT InnoEnergy-supported company who has recently raised $6.5 billion in capital to continue its expansion plan leading up to and beyond 150 GWh of deployed annual production capacity in Europe by 2030!
Further industrial exposure
Luka explains, “The project – starting this fall between Northvolt and KTH Royal Institute of Technology – will study the environmental impact of stationary energy storage systems (SESS). I was very fortunate to have been recommended by one of my master thesis mentors in Northvolt to continue to work towards making sustainable energy (enabled by batteries) a reality. Not only that, but the project also aims to shape and support the creation of a better methodology towards assessing the environmental impacts of such applications of Lithium-ion Batteries. Together, I believe this will bring us closer to a world where sustainable energy production and environmentally friendly transportation are the norm.”
More hot irons in the fire!
Luka has more fantastic news: “I am very excited to share that I, with a team of founders, are building a start-up called Shit2Power here in Berlin. Our goal is to take the waste from wastewater treatment plants, treat it and produce energy-dense gases to enable greener energy sources. We aim to bring this solution to the whole world, since besides being a green energy source – it also enables smaller scale wastewater treatment plants, especially in decentralised regions. Imagine a future where all wastewater is recycled to end clean water scarcity! Just another piece of my sustainability vision.”
Luka leaves us with some final thoughts: “EIT InnoEnergy has given me an excellent opportunity to grow and to tackle challenges in the EU space that have a real and positive impact on the future. There are many ways to broaden your horizons and many worthwhile projects. Just stay curious and don’t be afraid to fail, as it is necessary to learn, grow and move forward. Something that really resonates with me is “Stay hungry, stay foolish” by the late Steven Paul Jobs. I know I’m going to keep doing both!”
Inspired by Luka’s story? You can also make an impact in the energy transition! Starting from intake 2022, Uppsala University will also be available as a year 1 university for the Master’s in Energy Technologies.
Photo credit: Damjan Švarc, Maribor 2021