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 2010/2011 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 Professor Manuel Collares Pereira 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).
From left to right: Luis Fialho, Ricardo Conceição, Luis Guerreiro, João Marchã, Samuel Neves, Dorin Golovca, Diogo Canavarro, Célia Toureiro, Prof. Manuel Collares Pereira, Tiago Osório, Afonso Cavaco, Francisco Lopes, Hugo Silva, Luis Pacheco, Frederico Felizardo e Celísio Pires.
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 soar 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 group is currently commissioning a test facility to test (test bench dimensions: 18*13m2) Concentrator Collectors and promote collector development, as well as certification purposes. There are two circuits, one operating with thermal oil up to 400ºC and the other with pressurized water. Additionally a facility with Molten Salts for collectors fields testing at temperatures up to 565ºC, which is expected to be fully operational still during 2016.
It is also relevant to mention the close cooperation with LNEG – National Laboratory for Energy and Geology, with whom it has constituted the National Research Infrastructure in Solar Energy Concentration – INIESC.
The 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.
