ISFTA was founded in September 1987 under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Research and Technology by the name Centre for Solid Fuels Technology and Applications (CSFTA). In 2002 it was incorporated into CERTH as the Institute for Solid Fuels Technology and Applications (ISFTA). ISFTA is the main Greek organization for the promotion of research and technological development aiming at the improved and integrated exploitation of solid fuels and their by-products. The main activities of ISFTA include:
(a) Optimisation of the use of coal in electric power production,
(b) Non electric coal utilization,
(c) Fly ash utilization for the production of cement and other building materials,
(d) Development of innovative mining methods,
(e) Land reclamation methods,
(f) Biomass and/or waste co-utilisation with coal in existing combustion / gasification systems,
(g) Technology transfer from and to market operators and decision makers, through international collaboration with countries with considerable experience on the exploitation of solid fuels.