Celebration of the Iberian And Ibero-American Solar Energy Congress CIES 2026 in Almería
The centre hosts nearly 200 researchers from Spain and Portugal over three days to discuss new uses and challenges in solar energy
The Solar Energy Research Centre (CIESOL), a joint institution of the University of Almería and CIEMAT, organised the CIES 2026, bringing together the 20th Iberian Congress and the 16th Ibero-American Congress on Solar Energy. Under the motto «Solar Energy: new uses, new challenges», the event took place on 23, 24 and 25 March on the University of Almería campus, consolidating its position as one of the most long-standing scientific gatherings among Spanish and Portuguese-speaking researchers.
With nearly 200 participants, the programme combined academic sessions with technical workshops aimed at professionals and companies. Key topics included energy storage, the role of hydrogen in the energy transition, energy communities, positive energy districts and agrivoltaics —particularly relevant to the agricultural context of the Almería province—. The congress also addressed the nexus between energy, water and food, areas directly linked to the region’s productive reality.
The event was supported by UIBCongrés as Technical Secretariat and sponsored by Cox, a vertically integrated water and energy utility, in collaboration with whom new community-based models for solar project development in urban environments were explored.
The choice of Almería as the host city was no coincidence. The city, which enjoys the highest number of sunshine hours in Europe and is home to the nearby Plataforma Solar de Almería, offers unique conditions for solar energy research. As Manuel Pérez, President of the Spanish Solar Energy Association, noted, the congress had «a historical debt with Almería» that has now been honoured.
For CIESOL, this congress represents a prime showcase for highlighting solar energy research beyond photovoltaics, including thermal applications, industrial processes, desalination and water treatment. On Wednesday 25 March, the sessions were open to the general public and companies in the sector.