Created in 2010, the Renewable Energies Chair at the University of Évora has the mission of developing technological solutions and applications of solar energy for the decarbonization of different economic sectors. At the core of INIESC, the National Research Infrastructure in Solar Energy Concentration, University of Évora’s Renewable Energies 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. With expertise in non-imaging optics (NIO) the RE Chair is involved in different solar concentrator developments making use of NIO concepts, including the development of innovative (patented) concepts of Etendue Matched Concentrators increasing the performance of the line-focus Linear Fresnel Reflector concept or stationary or quasi-stationary Compound Parabolic Concentrator for medium temperature applications. With its solar concentration activities coordinated within INIESC, the National Research Infrastructure on Solar Energy Concentration, part of the National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures and lead by RE Chair, having LNEG, IP as partner institution, activities in RE Chair spread also to photovoltaic (PV) and electricity storage (EES) related activities, with focus on agricultural and community/quarter based applications and on the study of different EES technologies and combined hybrid EES systems. The RE Chair integrates the main R&D European Solar Thermal networks: EU-Solaris, EERA JP-CSP, INSHIP ECRIA and SFERA and has specific R&D agreements with DLR and Fraunhofer ISE.
