About us
Located in the heart of the region in Portugal with the highest direct normal irradiation (DNI) (and one of the highest in Europe) the University of Évora is investing on the development of activities in the field of RE with a particular focus on Solar Energy.
The University created in 2009 the first (and still unique in Portugal) the Renewable Energies Engineering License degree. In 2010 it created an endowed Renewable Energies Chair. With the Chair it was possible to complete its educational offer with a Master in Solar Energy Engineering and a Doctoral Program in Mechatronics and Energy addressing solar energy related topics.
The Renewable Energies Chairman is Dr. Pedro Horta and the RE Chair possesses today a multidisciplinary team covering different topics in solar concentration, systems and applications and cooperation with different related Departments end Research Units of the University (e.g. ICT, Mechatronics, Chemistry).
At the core of INIESC, the National Research Infrastructure in Solar Energy Concentration, UEvora RE Chair develops research along the main vectors defining the role of solar energy technologies as a solution for the Energy Transition: PV or CSP power generation; thermal or electrical energy storage; solar energy for energy supply to Industry and Agriculture; solar resource and Energy system integration strategies.
From left to right, upper row: Ricardo Conceição, Luis Guerreiro, Dorin Golovca, Célia Toureiro, Hugo Silva (Physics Dep.), Tiago Osório, Pedro Horta, Diogo Canavarro, Thomas Fasquelle, Luis Fialho, Erik Meyer, André Santos, Frederico Felizardo.
From left to right, down row: Jorge Pereira, Paula Martins, Ana Foles, Francisco Lopes, Ricardo Silva, Gonçalo Delgado, Daniel Lopes, Liliana Gomes, Tiago Eusébio, Ailton Tavares .
RE Chair: Activities
With expertise in non-imaging optics (NIO) the chair is involved in different solar concentrator developments making use of NIO concepts. Some topics include:
- Innovative (patented) concepts of Etendue Matched Concentrators increasing end optimizing the optical performance of the line-focus Linear Fresnel Reflector concept
- Development of stationary or quasi-stationary Compound Parabolic Concentrator for medium temperature applications and for solar thermal electricity
- R&D in solar concentrated driven systems modeling (e.g. for combined heat and power production end industrial process heat).
- Solar Thermal energy storage (solid storage and molten salts storage)
- BIPV (with PV electricity stored in VRB- Vanadium Redox batteries and lithium-ion batteries) with a special concern for the engineering of the interface between PV power production and buildings or other applications
- Materials related research and processes in particular dust control deposition in mirrors and covers
- Direct normal radiation measurement and statistics
- Agricultural water and solar energy research through novel applications of PV end modern irrigation.
The RE Chair integrates the main R&D European Solar Thermal networks: EU-Solaris, STAGE-STE, SFERA 2 and has specific R&D agreements with DLR and Fraunhofer ISE.
