The proposed project NEXUS aims to the development of innovative systems that connect the Nexus of Energy, Environment and Agricultural Production (Water, Food, Minerals), creating the technological foundations for economic and social development. At the proposed research scheme, two institutes of CERTH (CPERI and IBO) will join their forces to a holistic approach of the Nexus Energy-Environment-Agricultural Production utilizing and expanding their specialized expertise in the fields of agrotechnology and physicochemical processes. The aim of NEXUS is to utilize Greek raw materials and available residues and by-products of the primary sector, emphasizing in the use of technologies that have been developed to a great extent by CERTH itself.  This way the principles of circular economy, already applied in the EU, are promoted, having a great application potential in our country.
NEXUS is expected to set the foundations for the development of smart farming systems, smart material production systems, as well innovative systems of sustainable energy production and energy carriers. More specifically NEXUS will contribute to the development of a model integrated and adaptive farm management low input system, aiming to the production of food raw materials and the management of the relevant resources (energy, water, etc.) in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner. At the same time, NEXUS will support the optimization of physicochemical, electrochemical, enzymatic and solar thermal processes for the integrated recovery of agricultural and industrial waste, and for the production of energy and energy carriers (e.g. hydrogen, cracker bio-oil). Equally important is considered to be the contribution of the project to the development and synthesis of innovative materials (biochemical, biopolymer, ceramic, magnetically etc.) with multiple applications such as communication systems, biomedical, cosmetics, packaging industry etc.