Renewable Energy

Wind Energy

Andalusia has become one of the leading regions in renewable energy worldwide. In this sense, the creation of an Andalusian cluster on renewable energy must be highlighted. This cluster yearly produces around 682 photovoltaic megawatts, 231 thermosolar megawatts, 2,863 eolic megawatts and 204 biomass megawatts. Between 2000 and 2009 the energy extracted from renewable sources increased by 471%, reaching 14.9 percent of total power production. The use of these clean energy sources prevents the emission of 4.2 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. Additionally, Andalusia currently occupies the leading position nationwide in number of installed thermosolar devices, supplying 230,000 homes with hot water, 30% of the national total. This leading position will be further consolidated with the construction in Seville of the Parque de Innovación Empresarial Soland, promoted by the Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia de la Junta de Andalucía and focused on eco-innovation in the field of renewable energy.

From a research perspective, the work being carried out on solar thermal and photovoltaic energy should be emphasised. Regarding the latter, CEI CamBio researchers are engaged in the development of new technologies in photovoltaic cells, including the implementation of recent advances in nanotechnology around the development of low cost nanostructured semiconductors. Dye- sensitised nanostructured photovoltaic cells show a number of advantages over the traditional sort: (1) the ability to capture light coming from different angles, (2) a good performance in diffused light conditions; (3) transparent devices can be built. These features make such cells particularly attractive for off-grid applications and the construction of integrated structures.

Besides the membership of the Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT) which, as already pointed out in the introduction has a lateral impact on all area-specific clusters, CEI CamBio has created a powerful cluster around this area, with the cooperation of an important number of private companies of international projection, a reflection of the significance of the sector for Andalusia.

The facilities of the Plataforma Solar de Almería must also be highlighted. This is the largest R+D centre on solar concentration technologies in Europe. It has been accredited as a Large-Scale Research Facility by the European Commission and it is a founding member of the Alliance of European Laboratories for Research and Technologies on Concentration Solart Systems (SolLAB). The Plataforma Solar cooperates with a number of bodies and institutions, including the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, the specialised group SolarPACES(Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems) attached to the International Energy Agency , the Centro Tecnológico Avanzado de Energías Renovables (CTAER) and the Centro de Investigación de la Energía Solar (CIESOL) .

CamBio is making sure that this strength in the renewable energy chapter is reflected in post-graduate teaching, and for this reason, within the framework of the CEI’s Escuela Internacional de Doctorado en Estudios Medio Ambientales (EID-EMA), a joint master’s and doctoral programme in ‘Energía Solar’, is being developed with the participation of the Plataforma Solar de Almería and Kassel University (Germany).

Finally, we must highlight the construction in Almería of the EU-SOLARIS facilities, recently approved by the ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures) and labelled as of great pan-European interest. This is a widely spread infrastructure focused on the scientific and technological development of solar concentration systems, and on the implementation of highly innovative prototype projects. EU-SOLARIS also has the support of the Asociación Española de la Industria Solar Termoeléctrica (PROTERMOSOLAR) and the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association (ESTELA).

See Renewable Energy Thematic Aggregation