The team visited the Solar Platform of Almería (PSA, for its Spanish acronym), the Solar Laboratory of Odeillo, in France, and the International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz (ISC) in Germany. An agreement was signed with the ISC in order to establish a joint research program.
Fifteen researchers from the Solar Energy Center (SERC Chile) travelled to Spain, France and Germany, between May 3 and 11, with the technology mission to learn the state-of-the-art in solar energy research in some of the most important research centers in Europe. The SERC Chile representatives visited the Solar Platform of Almería (PSA) in Spain; the Solar Laboratory in Odeillo, France; and the International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz (ISC), in Germany. SERC Chile is a FONDAP research center, created by CONICYT and led by Professor Rodrigo Palma from the Department of Electrical Engineering of Universidad de Chile, and it works along with Universidad de Tarapacá, Universidad de Antofagasta, Universidad de Concepción, and Fundación Chile.
Almería, a semi-arid zone similar to the Chilean Norte Chico, is the cradle of solar energy in Spain and one of the places where the current technology is being developed to be applied globally.
At that place, the SERC Chile delegation was welcomed by PSA director Sixto Malato, and by the director of Solar Energy Environmental Applications Julían Blanco who, together with a team of collaborators, showed the Chilean team the different facilities and projects developed there. Next to the PSA there is the Advanced Technology Center for Renewable Energies (CTAER, for its Spanish acronym), where the delegation had the opportunity to learn the innovative Central Tower that has mobile heliostats.
In France, the researchers visited Odeillo, where the world’s largest solar furnace is located, along with other high standard research facilities for the application of solar energy. At the end of the visit, the parts agreed to start developing joint ventures together.
In Germany, the last tour destination, the SERC researchers visited the ISC Laboratory of Konstanz, specialized in the production of high-performance photovoltaic cells. At this place, SERC Chile director Rodrigo Palma and Radovan Kopecek, General Director of Advanced Cell Concepts and member of the ISC Executive Committee, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint research program and formation of human capital, among other shared activities.
The mission to Europe included the visit of two members of the development group of photovoltaic cells and semiconductors of the University of Marburg, Germany.
