Translating doctoral research into industrial innovation

Another significant milestone has been marked at UM, as three researchers, namely Dr Luke Aquilina, Dr Charise Cutajar, and Dr Andrew Borg, who graduated in March 2026, are moving on to specialise in offshore energy storage.

Their doctoral research has made important contributions to the advancement of offshore compressed-air and hydro-pneumatic energy storage systems for offshore wind applications.

Their work spans key areas including thermo-hydraulic modelling, prototyping, system optimisation, and offshore integration concepts.

In a noteworthy continuation of their journey, all three graduates have joined FLASC B.V., a start-up that too originated from the University of Malta.

FLASC BV is an award-winning company that was established in the Netherlands by Prof. Tonio Sant and Dr Daniel Buhagiar.

At FLASC, Dr Aquilina, Dr Cutajar and Dr Borg will continue developing their research into real-world applications, supporting the deployment of long-duration energy storage solutions for offshore wind farms and other renewable energy systems.

This achievement was made possible through the support of several organisations, including Xjenza Malta, the Energy and Water Agency, Transport Malta, and the European Commission, which supported the MUSICA Project. Their funding played a crucial role in enabling the research behind these advancements.

This milestone highlights the University of Malta’s role in fostering innovation, where academic research evolves into practical solutions addressing global energy challenges.

Watch this clip for a conversation with Prof. Sant and Dr Aquilina.