Andrei Ștefan Oprișescu Dulgheru, a student at the Petrol-Gas University of Ploiești, was awarded a gold medal at the World Youth Invention and Innovation Award international competition, which was organised in Indonesia. The project, entitled "HydroShift", proposes an innovative solution to reduce emissions from the oil industry by using wastewater to produce green hydrogen, which is then converted into electricity. The young man's project competed against more than 600 inventions from countries with a research tradition, such as the US, South Korea and Turkey, and was noted for its potential to fundamentally change the way the energy industry approaches sustainability.
At the age of 23, Andrei has already amassed an impressive array of accolades, having been awarded 12 prizes in the last three years at both national and international science and engineering competitions. A Magna Cum Laude Scholar at the Petrol-Gas University of Ploiești, Andrei has been recognised for presenting outstanding projects at national and international competitions and events, with his ideas promoting energy efficiency, global sustainability and the implementation of commercial strategies in the energy industry.
In recognition of these accomplishments, Andrei has been nominated for an award by the Rector of the Petrol-Gas University of Ploiești, Conf. univ. dr. ing. Alin Diniță to participate in the "100 Youngsters for Romania's Development" campaign, which is organised by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania. The primary objective of this campaign is to promote young individuals who demonstrate significant potential for contributing to the development of Romania.
Among Andrei's distinguished achievements are the following: In 2024, the second place position was secured at the "Black Sea Student Symposium", while the third place position was attained at the "E.ON Energy Challenge. In 2023, the first place position was secured at the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition "GoBizz - 2023", and the bronze medal was awarded at the International Olympiad of Applied Science Projects in 2023 (Sepuluh Nopembar Institute of Technology, Indonesia).
In addition to his academic work, Andrei is actively involved in the community. He is responsible for the organisation of university events, participates in Erasmus programmes, and promotes education in disadvantaged areas. He was recently invited to give a presentation at a school in Bamyan, Afghanistan. The subject's passion for knowledge is also reflected in his personal life; he has visited more than 50 countries and shares his travel experiences on his YouTube channel.
A model of perseverance and innovation, Andrei Oprișescu Dulgheru is living proof that young Romanians can actively contribute to Romania's real transformation and development. Registrations for the "100 Youngsters for Romania's Development" campaign are now open here.
