EU-SOLARIS

EU-SOLARIS aims to achieve a real coordination of Research and Technology Development (R&D) capabilities and efforts in Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies by the European Research Centres, along with those from the neighbouring countries, in order to foster the technological development of the Industry.
The EU-SOLARIS vision is to further assist the Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) and Solar Chemistry technologies’ deployment by enhancing the research infrastructures development and Research and Technology Development (R&D) coordination. EU-SOLARIS is expected to be the first of its kind, where industrial needs and private funding will play a significant role.
STAGE-STE – Scientific and Technological Alliance for Guaranteeing the European Excellence in Concentrating Solar Thermal Energy

This Integrated Research Programme (IRP), funded by the EC’s FP7 Programme, engages all major European research institutes with relevant and recognised activites on Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) and related technologies, in an integrated research structure plus relevant industrial and international organisations.
Objectives:
- Convert the consortium into a reference institution for concentrating solar energy research in Europe, creating a new entity with effective governance structure;
- Enhance the cooperation between EU research institutions participating in the IRP to create EU added value;
- Synchronize the different national research programs to avoid duplication and to achieve better and faster results;
- Accelerate the transfer of knowledge to industry in order to maintain and strengthen the existing European industrial leadership in STE;
- Expand joint activities among research centres by offering researchers and industry a comprehensive portfolio of research capabilities, bringing added value to innovation and industry-driven technology;
- Establish the European reference association for promoting and coordinating international cooperation in concentrating solar energy research.
Project Website: www.stage-ste.eu
SFERA 2 – Solar Facilities for the European Research Area

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a very promising renewable source of energy. The best known application so far is bulk electricity generation through thermodynamic cycles, but other applications have also been demonstrated, such as production of hydrogen and solar fuels, water treatment and research in advanced materials.
This EU-funded research project – SFERA – aims to boost scientific collaboration among the leading European research institutions in solar concentrating systems, offering European research and industry access to the best research and test infrastructures and creating a virtual European laboratory. The project incorporates the following activities:
– Transnational Access: Researchers will have access to five state-of-the-art high-flux solar research facilities, unique in Europe and in the world. Access to these facilities will help strengthen the European Research Area by opening installations to European and partner countries’ scientists, thereby enhancing cooperation.
– Networking: These include the organisation of training courses and schools’ to create a common training framework, providing regularised, unified training of young researchers in the capabilities and operation of concentrating solar facilities. Communication activities will seek to both strengthen relationships within the consortium, creating a culture of cooperation, and to communication to society in general, academia and especially industry what SFERA is and what services are offered.
– The Joint Research Activities aim to improve the quality and service of the existing infrastructure, extend their services and jointly achieve a common level of high scientific quality.
Project Website: sfera2.sollab.eu
KnowRES – Knowledge Centre For Renewable Energy Jobs

KnowRES provides job intelligence to industry, candidates and academic and training institutions, while performing an analysis of the skills needed by the industry to ensure that the provided education and training courses are tailor-made to the sectors’ needs.
Recruiting and retaining qualified staff is one of the challenges facing many industries and the STE sector is no exception. For the past few years, the skills gaps and shortage of engineers have been widely reported. But which specific profiles are currently in demand, where to find the gem companies are looking for and how to retain the qualified staff remain hot topical issues.
The objectives of the survey research consist in mapping the STE Energy job market by identifying the 10 most wanted profiles as well as current available competences via a candidate survey.
- If you are a company interested in knowing what profiles are currently available on the market or looking for talents and/or wishing to share your view on the employment situation, please take 5’ to participate in the survey here (or forward the link to your HR colleagues)
- If you are a candidate looking for new challenges, please take part in the survey here
An expert meeting on the solar thermal electricity job market was held in the University of Perpignan on the 29th March 2016. Find presentations here.
The final product from this project is the Jobs Barometer on Renewable Energy:
► Solar Thermal Electricity Sector Report: Download
Project Website: www.knowres-jobs.eu
SolarCV: Sector Skills Alliance to cover skill needs through delivery and recognition of EU joint CV in Concentrated Solar Power
SolarCV is a project funded by European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme. It aims at increasing the response of Vocational Education Training (VET) systems by anticipating the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) labour demand, integrating work-based learning (WBL) in the design of CSP VET and increasing mobility of EU CSP learners, by the recognition of learning outcomes and by achieving qualifications.
SolarCV tools (Curriculum & Validation) are designed considering European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) and European quality assurance in vocational education and training (EQAVET) European references, so the resulting products ensure a better understanding and comparability of qualifications across countries.
Project Website: www.solar-cv.eu