The SFERA European project aims at integrating, coordinating and further focusing scientific collaboration among the leading European research institutions in solar concentrating systems. A key tool for this purpose is to hold training courses about CSP systems. Until the end of the project, it will be organised annually at one of the SFERA facilities. The objective of these courses is to propose training lectures given by high level scientists for disseminating CSP expertise. The targeted audience is Ph.D students, post-docs, engineers, researchers or industrials that are interested and involved in CSP systems. It also wants to reach the general public for them to get a better awareness of the possibilities of CSP systems in the European Research Area.

In 2010, it was organised in the PROMES-CNRS Laboratory in Odeillo, successively to the SOLLAB Doctorial Colloquium. This 1st SFERA summer school main topic was about radiation in solar systems for the people to acquire a global and general overview of some of the most widespread techniques in this field. There was 6 main topics mixing theoretical courses and case study.

View the pdf file for agenda and further information

Donwload the 1^st SFERA Summer School Courses as PDF files:

• Solar resource: Robert Pitz-Paal (5.9MB)
  
  
• Radiation heat transfer(1): Numerical method - Cyril Caliot (1MB)
  
  
• Optics of solar concentrators: Akiba Segal (4.2MB)
  
  
• Metrology of radiation: optical pyrometry - Daniel Hernandez (4MB)
  
  
• Radiation heat transfer(2): Case study: Sophie Haussener (4.8MB)
  
  

Date: 10^th-12^th June, 2010

Place: PROMES-CNRS Laboratory, Font Romeu - Odeillo, France

Registration deadline: 20^th May, 2010.

For registration: http://www.sollab.eu/doctoralcolloquium6/?page=registration

Travel information: Travel expenses must be covered by the attendee itself. Attendees can contact the organizer to be informed about lodging possibilities and transportation details.

The SFERA European project aims at integrating, coordinating and further focusing scientific collaboration among the leading European research institutions in solar concentrating systems. A key tool for this purpose is to hold training courses about CSP systems. Until the end of the project, it will be organised annually at one of the SFERA facilities. The objective of these courses is to propose training lectures given by high level scientists for disseminating CSP expertise. The targeted audience is Ph.D students, post-docs, engineers, researchers or industrials that are interested and involved in CSP systems. It also wants to reach the general public for them to get a better awareness of the possibilities of CSP systems in the European Research Area.

In 2011, it was organised at ETH in Zürich, Switzerland, successively to the 7th SOLLAB Doctorial Colloquium . This 2nd SFERA winter school will be dedicated to solar concentrating technologies applied to the production of solar fuels and materials.

View the pdf file for agenda and further information

Donwload the 2^nd SFERA Summer School Courses as PDF files:

• Fundamentals of solar thermochemical processes: Aldo Steinfeld (700kB)
  
  
• Heliostat field design for solar thermochemical processes: Robert Pitz-Paal (2MB)
  
  
• Sulfur-Iodine and ferrite-based thermochemical cycles for splitting H₂O: Martin Roeb (3.5MB)
  
  
• Solar thermochemical cycles using thin film ferrites and other metal oxides: Jonathan Scheffe (2.3MB)
  
  
• Solar detoxification of water: Sixto Malato (2.4MB)
  
  
• Solar thermal reforming methane: Michael Epstein (5.2MB)
  
  
• Solar co-production of H₂ and C by thermal decomposition of CH₄: Gilles Maag (1.4MB)
  
  
• The Zn-based thermochemical cycle for splitting H₂O and CO₂: Anton Meier (2.1MB)
  
  
• Reduction of CO₂ and H₂O with Zn and FeO: Peter Loutzenhiser (1.3MB)
  
  
• Solar thermochemical cycles based on the ZnO/Zn or SnO2/SnO redox couples: March Chambon (1.0MB)
  
  
• Solar carbothermic production of zinc: Christian Wieckert (1.4MB)
  
  
• Temperature measurement in solar furnaces and solar simulators: Ivo Alxneit (2.7MB)
  
  
• Solar gasification of petroleum coke: Alfonso Vidal (1.8MB)
  
  
• Solar gasification of carbonaceous waste feedstock: Nic Piatkowski (1.8MB)
  
  

Date: 24^th-25^th March, 2011

Place: ETH, Zürich, Switzerland

Registration deadline: 1^st February, 2011.

For registration: http://www.sollab.eu/doctoralcolloquium7/?page=registration_sfera

Travel information: Travel expenses must be covered by the attendee itself including hotel accommodation. For hotel reservation, see Zurich Tourism.

The SFERA European project aims at integrating, coordinating and further focusing scientific collaboration among the leading European research institutions in solar concentrating systems. A key tool for this purpose is to hold training courses about CSP systems. Until the end of the project, it will be organised annually at one of the SFERA facilities. The objective of these courses is to propose training lectures given by high level scientists for disseminating CSP expertise. The targeted audience is Ph.D students, post-docs, engineers, researchers or industrials that are interested and involved in CSP systems. It also wants to reach the general public for them to get a better awareness of the possibilities of CSP systems in the European Research Area.

For 2012, it was organised by Plataforma Solar de Almería in Tabernas, SPAIN, successively to the 8th SOLLAB Doctorial Colloquium (the participation to the SOLLAB DC is restricted to the SFERA partners). This 3rd SFERA school will be dedicated to Solar Thermal Electricity Generation.

View the pdf file for the program of the school

Donwload the 3^rd SFERA Summer School Courses as PDF files:

• Basic principles of solar radiation and STE plants: Eduardo Zarza (990 kB)
  
  
• Solar resource assessment: Lourdes Ramirez (1.6MB)
  
  
• Solar resource forecasting: Marion Schroedter-Homscheidt (3.9MB)
  
  
• STE plants with parabolic trough collectors: Loreto Valenzuela (4.6MB)
  
  
• STE plants with central receiver: Felix Tellez (8.7MB)
  
  
• STE plants with Stirling dishes: Peter Heller (6.3MB)
  
  
• STE plants with Linear Fresnel concentrators: Fabian Feldhoff (1.4MB)
  
  
• Thermal storage for STE plants: Markus Eck (2.6MB)
  
  
• Commercial potential of STE plants: Eduardo García (1.3MB)
  
  
• Direct steam generation with parabolic trough collectors: Fabian Feldhoff (6.8MB)
  
  
• R+D activities in STE technologies: Eduardo Zarza (2.1MB)
  
  

Date: 27^th-28^th June, 2012

Place: The event will be hosted at the Hotel Barceló Cabo de Gata**** which is located in the luxury resort “El Toyo”; right on the beach of the large bay that joins Cabo de Gata to the city of Almería, SPAIN in the well-known Retamar area, very close to the Natural Park of Cabo de Gata. It is 5km from the airport, 15km from the centre of Almería, and 30km from the famous Tabernas Desert.

Registration deadline: 31^th May, 2012.

For registration:

Please read carefully the following document before any registration : Registration Information.

Travel information: Travel expenses must be covered by the attendee itself.

For more information on how to arrive to the Hotel, view the PDF

The SFERA European project aims at integrating, coordinating and further focusing scientific collaboration among the leading European research institutions in solar concentrating systems. A key tool for this purpose is to hold training courses about CSP systems. Until the end of the project, it will be organised annually at one of the SFERA facilities. The objective of these courses is to propose training lectures given by high level scientists for disseminating CSP expertise. The targeted audience is Ph.D students, post-docs, engineers, researchers or industrials that are interested and involved in CSP systems. It also wants to reach the general public for them to get a better awareness of the possibilities of CSP systems in the European Research Area.

For 2013, it will be organized by DLR, GERMANY, successively to the 9th SOLLAB Doctorial Colloquium (the participation to the SOLLAB DC is restricted to the SFERA partners). This 4th SFERA school will be dedicated to Measurement Tools and Standardization Aspects for Concentrating Solar Technologies

View the pdf file for the program of the school

Donwload the 4^th SFERA Summer School Courses as PDF files:

• Acceptance Test of Solar Collector Fields, Eckhard Lüpfert (1.2MB)
  
  
• Life time analysis & accelerated aging tests, Florian Sutter (3.4 MB)
  
  
• Calibration and analysis of heliostats, R. Monterreal (4.8 MB)
  
  
• Evaluation of relevant reflector properties, Aránzazu Fernández‐García (1.5MB)
  
  
• Heat Flux Measurement on CSP, Jesus Ballestrin (2MB)
  
  
• Measurement Basics, Emmanuel Guillot (11.8MB)
  
  
• Measurement technologies & operation systems in solar test facilities, Jan-Peter Säck (1.2MB)
  
  
• Modelling and standardization of yield analysis for solar thermal power plants, Tobias Hirsch (1.1MB)
  
  
• Overview on Norms and Standards for Solar Energy Technology Relevant for CSP Development and Implementation, Eckhard Lüpfert (420KB)
  
  
• Measuring Optical and Thermal Properties of High Temperature Receivers I, Thomas Fend (2.2MB)
  
  
• Measuring Optical and Thermal Properties of High and Medium Temperature Absorbers II, Johannes Pernpeintner (1.6MB)
  
  
• Reflector Shape Measurements, Eckhard Lüpfert (4MB)
  
  
• Reflector Soiling and Cleaning Methods, Fabian Wolfertstetter (3.2MB)
  
  
• Solar Resource Measurements and Satellite Data, Norbert Geuder (6.6MB)
  
  
• Specifications of reflectors based on guidelines and standards, Aránzazu Fernández‐García (1.8MB)
  
  
• Sunshape analysis and atmospheric influences, Norbert Geuder (2.2MB)
  
  
• High Temperature Measurementby Thermography on CSP, Jesús Ballestrín (1.6MB)
  
  

Date: 15-16 May, 2013

Place: Hornberg Castle, Black Forest, Germany

Registration deadline: 10 April, 2013

For registration and fees:

Registration is now closed

Travel information: For more information, view the PDF