BES Renewable Energies Chair: BES chair

BES Chair in Renewable Energies: creation and  envelope
Located in the heart of the region with higher direct normal irradiation (DNI) potential in Portugal (and one of the highest potential 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.

Following its investment on the development of a complete training offer in this field, deployed in 2009 with the creation of an engineering  license in Renewable Energies the University decided to create, in 2010, a dedicated research group (the BES Renewable Energies Chair) , which  at once was instrumental in the  creation of a Master in Solar Energy Engineering and a doctoral program in Mechatronics and Energy, addressing solar energy related topics. The Chair was created with a particular focus on solar concentration technologies and their applications.
BES, RE Chair presents a multidisciplinary team covering different topics on solar concentration systems and applications and aims the cooperation with different related Departments of the University (e.g. Geophysics, Mechatronics, Chemistry).
The BES, RE Chair  was also the creating force behind  IPES- Instituto Portugues de Energia Solar, associating a large group of companies and other institutions for actively pursuing R&D and the proposition of proper R&D public policies for Solar Energy.
The Chair has established a strategic MoU with Fraunhofer Institute (ISE.Freiburg) and is about to sign another one with  DLR (Köln)

BES Chair in Renewable Energies: activities
With expertise in non-imaging optics, the group is involved in different solar concentrator developments making use of NIO concepts either as -primary or secondary concentrating systems:
Innovative (patented) concept LFR-Étendue Matched increasing the optical performance of the line-focus Linear Fresnel Reflector and new conceptual designs for secondary concentrators applied to PT collectors, enabling an increase in concentrator aperture area or the adoption of fixed receivers

Development of stationary or quasi-stationary Compound Parabolic Concentrator for medium temperature applications as well as activities in Solar Concentrated Photovoltaics, solar-driven systems modeling (e.g. for combined heat and power production), solar thermal energy storage (solid storage and molten salts storage) and BIPV (PV electricity stored in VRB- Vanadium Redox batteries and lithium-ion batteries)
A program for DNI measurement in the Alentejo region has been proposed to QREN for financing.
The Chair also submitted a proposal to be one of the Research Infrastructures (RI in Solar Energy Concentration))  to be approved and financed by FCT.
The Chair possesses three unique testing facilities for solar concentrators; the two larger ones are still under construction and are for testing up  to 380ºC with thermal oil,  250ºC pressurized water and to 580ºC with molten salts

BES Chair in Renewable Energies: projects
Aiming at involving the University in the most prominent european R&D groups and activities in the field of solar concentration, BES Chair RE is currently developing several important national and international projects:

• INALENTEJO LACTTAE / UDCIAE Pólo Mitra (ALENT-07-0262-FEDER-0018769)
• EU-SOLARIS (Grant Agreement….)
• PVCrops (FP7, Grant Agreement 308468)
• STAGE-STE (FP7 Grant Agreement 609837)
• SFERA II (FP7, Grant Agreement 312643)
• REELCOOP (7FP, Approved under negotiation)
• “TASK -49” IEA

The Team of BES RE Chair
Besides the Chairman, the Chair has 1 Researcher, 1 Post-Doc, 5 Ph.DS Students , 2 Master of Science Students and several Engineering  License  students doing their final projects.