The SFERA-III project addresses advanced science challenges and integrated research activities in the field of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) by integrating key European research infrastructures into an ambitious wide project aiming at offering to the R&D community a new level of high-quality services. According to the objectives of the European Union in the field of sustainable energy supply, climate change and energy security needs strong efforts in innovative technologies and education: the EU’s Renewable energy directive sets a binding target of 20% final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020 and 27% by 20301.
Solar energy is the primary source of renewable energy and CST power can supply electricity on demand, the built-in thermal storage capabilities of CST plants are a decisive asset that distinguishes these plants from other highly variable renewable electricity production technologies like photovoltaic or wind power. In this context, this project aims at coordinating efforts of the main European research institution operating a unique set of Research Infrastructures (RIs) to promote innovative researches, to improve services offered by concentrating solar RIs and to train researchers and engineers on the CST technologies. Both academia and industry users are targeted.
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Funding:
European Union/Interreg V-A Program (2014-2020) Greece-Cyprus
Partners:
Centro De Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales Y Tecnologicas, CIEMAT
Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, CNRS
Agenzia Nazionale Per Le Nuove Tecnologie, L’energia E Lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile
Deutsches Zentrum Fuer Luft – Und Raumfahrt EV
Commissariat A L Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
Universidade De Evora
Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule Zuerich
Fundacion IMDEA Energia
The Cyprus Institute CyI
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
Laboratorio Nacional De Energia E Geologia I.P.
Middle East Technical University
Universidad De Almeria
Euronovia
European Solar Thermal Electricity Association BE
