About Us

The Solar Energy Research Centre, CIESOL, is a joint centre of the University of Almeria and the Plataforma Solar de Almeria, which develops new applications of solar energy.
At the centre we work with researchers from both the Plataforma Solar and the University, joining forces to make the most of solar radiation, ranging from energy use, water treatment and the study of air conditioning and comfort in buildings.

At the Centre, we carry out international research, transfer, dissemination and training on various aspects of solar energy.

We collaborate with companies and institutions in our desire to serve society.

In the field of training, we are proud of the Official Master’s Degree in Solar Energy, a clear example of the understanding between the two institutions that make up CIESOL.

Más Info

CIESOL is located in a building on the campus of the University of Almeria specifically designed to study the use of solar radiation in buildings. Thus, in addition to laboratories, scientific equipment and pilot plants, the centre itself is a scientific facility..

Infrastructure and Objectives

We have a surface area of about 1700 m2, with a 200 m2 building and a 400 m2 courtyard, 1 workshop, 1 outdoor laboratory, 3 cold storage chambers, 1 weather station, 7 laboratories, 5 offices, 1 dining room, 1 study room, 1 work room and a classroom and meeting room.

The solar heating and cooling system covers most of the centre’s demand, the building is designed to employ passive strategies and maximise solar resources.

We have advanced equipment to carry out our research projects.

The scope of CIESOL’s activities can be specified as follows:

Participating in calls for proposals from the European Union and the National R&D Plan, both for research and demonstration projects.
Promoting collaboration with companies related to energy and the environment.
To develop patents for technological innovations that facilitate the industrial development of Almeria and, by extension, of Andalusia.
To carry out seminars and courses dedicated to the different subjects related to the use of Solar Energy, such as: electricity production, evaluation and prediction of the solar resource, solar desalination, development of new materials, water treatment, photocatalysis, photochemical reactions and organometallic chemistry.

Organisation of the Centre

How does CIESOL work?

CIESOL’s functional structure is made up of a Coordination and Monitoring Committee, CCS, the highest decision-making and management body, a Management Team and a set of 6 Functional Units that bring together researchers from both institutions in different specific thematic areas. It should be noted that CIESOL has an External Evaluation Committee, CEE, with four members of recognised prestige and national and international impact, which annually assesses and supervises the scientific production of its different functional units as well as the development of the centre.

There is also a Scientific Infrastructure and Management Unit, made up of technical specialists, which is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the centre’s equipment.

Who is the Coordination and Monitoring Committee and what does it do?

The Coordination and Monitoring Committee, CCS, is made up of two researchers from the UAL, one of them being the Vice-Rector for Research, Development and Innovation of the university, and two researchers from the PSA, one of them being the Director of the Almeria Solar Platform. Currently, the CCS is made up of José Antonio Sánchez Pérez (Vice-Rector for Research) and Manuel Berenguel for the UAL and Julián Blanco (Director of the Plataforma Solar de Almería) and Eduardo Zarza for the PSA.

The Coordination and Monitoring Committee is responsible for ensuring the good governance of the Research Centre and its main function is to evaluate and monitor the progress of the centre’s activities and their compliance with the planned objectives.

Who is the Management Team and what does it do?

The Management Team consists of a director and a deputy director, belonging to UAL and PSA (and vice versa). Currently the director is José Luis Casas López from UAL and Sixto Malato Rodríguez from PSA is the deputy director. They are responsible for the allocation of spaces and resources to the different projects and working groups, the supervision of the technical staff, the maintenance of CIESOL and, in general, everything that affects the day-to-day running of the centre.

Who is the External Evaluation Committee and what does it do?

The External Evaluation Committee, CEE, is composed of Ana María Amat Payá, Professor at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Ángela Fernández Curto, Deputy Deputy Director General of Large Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (Ministry of Science and Innovation, Government of Spain), David Serrano, Director of IMDEA ENERGÍA in Madrid and Professor at the Rey Juan Carlos University and Carlos Bordons Alba, Professor of Systems Engineering and Automation at the University of Seville.

The EWC is responsible for evaluating the scientific quality of CIESOL and proposing actions for improvement. Its functions include the evaluation of work proposals and strategic lines of action for CIESOL, new projects or collaborations, as well as the scientific evaluation of the work carried out. The EWC meets once a year with CIESOL researchers, visits their facilities and issues a report on their activity.

Committees and Activity Leaders

Centre
management

Director

José Luis Casas López
Professor of Chemical Engineering,
University of Almería
jlcasas@ual.es

Chemical Area

Octavio Malato Rodríguez
omalato@ual.es

Assistant director

Sixto Malato Rodríguez
Senior Research O.P.I.,
CIEMAT
sixto.malato@psa.es

Energy Area

Enrique García Campos
ecampos@ual.es

Dissemination and transfer area

Irene Fernández Gómez
Irene.Fdz@ual.es

Responsible
of activities

Activity

Organometallic and Photochemistry

University of Almería (UAL)

Antonio Romerosa
Professor of UAL
romerosa@ual.es