SolaQua
SolaQua project Kick-off Meeting

The Kick-off Meeting of the SolaQua - affordable, reliable and accessible solar irrigation for Europe and beyond, took place on 14 and 15 October, in online format, due to the current situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in Europe.

SolaQua aims to increase the share of renewable energy in Europe, through the combination of photovoltaic and hydraulic technology with high efficiency irrigation, which will allow the supply of energy for irrigation with zero emissions and a cost of up to 70% lower than solutions based on existing fossil fuels.

In an initial phase, the project aims to produce seven key materials and tools for the adoption of the solar irrigation market, through the definition of quality standards and methodologies for economic and environmental assessment. In phase 2, the project will focus on the implementation of a dissemination and communication plan, on solar irrigation and on the exploration plan of SolaQua, aimed at stakeholders in Europe and North Africa. This plan, which includes a support instrument to be replicated by public authorities for investments in solar irrigation, will allow the launch of a functional solar irrigation market.

At the project kick-off meeting, after a first day dedicated to strategic management lines, technical and organizational aspects, and the presentation of project coordination, partners and the European Commission's Project Officer, the second day was dedicated to the distribution of responsibilities, through the organization and structuring of the objectives of the SolaQua project in Working Groups and respective tasks.

According to this plan, the Renewable Energies Chair will be directly involved in all working groups. It will have a special focus on the first (GT 1 - Engineering) which focuses on the preparation of a technical guide with the best practices for planning, installing and operating Solar Irrigation systems. WG 2 (Assessment Tools), divided into two subgroups, addresses environmental assessment and economic assessment, with the aim of producing tools for assessing the impacts of solar irrigation at these two levels. WG 5 - Dissemination and communication, includes the production of these materials, namely dissemination leaflets, a manual for irrigators, an app for preliminary planning of irrigation systems, and audiovisual materials, and two training manuals for irrigators and solar irrigation installers. In working groups 3 and 4, marketing and regulatory policies, CER-UÉ's involvement will essentially be as a reviewer of materials.

SolaQua, which is supported by the Horizon 2020 program (nº. 952879), is composed of a consortium that brings together 11 organizations from six countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco and Romania): Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Euromediterranean Irrigators Community, Conference des Regions Peripheriques Maritimes d'Europe - Association, Consiglio dell'Ordine Nazionale del Dottori Agronomi e dei Dottori Forestali, University of Évora, Universita degli Studi Veterinaire Hassan II, Department of Agriculture Ganaderia y Medio Ambiente. Gobierno de Aragón, Conselleria de Agricultura, Medio Ambiente, Cambio Climatico y Desarrollo Rural, Abarca Companhia de Seguros SA and Calarasi County Council.

Published in 16.10.2020