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Catalonia and France to cooperate on promoting solar energy

On May 3, the Counselor for Innovation, Universities and Business of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Josep Huguet, presided over the opening of Congress on Renewable Energy (DERBI 2010) in France, guest of the French Minister for Industry, Christian Estrosi. As part of this meeting an agreement was signed to promote business cooperation between the photovoltaic energy clusters of Catalonia and the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

4 may 2010

The agreement between the associations DERBI and Secartys-Solartys aims to promote cooperation between enterprises, research centers, training and research clusters in Catalonia and France, while opening doors to the exchange of students, teachers and trainees. In addition, the agreement provides access to joint facilities in France or third-party countries and will unite the two associations in their search for new opportunities in other markets, especially among Mediterranean countries.

Solartys is a nonprofit organization that focuses on promoting the internationalization of Catalan solar energy companies, relying on cooperation with foreign companies and an industry based on technology and innovation. This partnership is a result of a project sponsored by ACC1Ó to vitalize the Catalan solar energy sector.

The agreement was formalized by the director general of the DERBI competitiveness group, André Joffre, and Solartys president, Antonio Navarro. DERBI (Développement des Energies Renouvelables dans le Bâtiment et l'Industrie) works in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon with a whole range of companies, laboratories and universities promoting regional, national and international innovation research, training, technology transfer and business creation in the field of renewable energy.

The International Conference DERBI was started in 2006 and since then has organized nearly 720 business meetings and gathered more than 3,200 attendees from 40 different nations. This agreement represents an important opportunity for Catalonia, which despite having important know-how in the field of renewable energy, disposes of no laboratories for testing - a situation that can be mitigated through the strength that France has in the development of facilities and support infrastructure.

In conjunction with the Conference, the fifth edition the seminar Pro'energy 2010 was held recently. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Montpellier Languedoc-Rousillon organizes the yearly seminar with in the framework of EEN (Enterprise Europe Network). This event is a bringing together of business and technology centers. Participants have the opportunity to establish new contacts and potential cooperation agreements with companies and institutions across Europe within the field of renewable energy, eco-construction and energy efficiency.

ACC1Ó EEN Catalonia, as co-organizer of the day, promoted and assessed the Catalan participants, for which an agenda was agreed upon previously with potential European partners. Catalan participants carried out a total of 40 interviews.

The participants counted three Catalan companies and two Catalan technology centers from TECNIO, the network that brings together the centers of Catalonia devoted to applied research and technology transfer. The participating companies were: Borrull & MP, an engineering firm specialized in solar energy projects and energy efficiency; IM SLL Tecnics project management, an engineering and architectural firm specializing in energy efficiency projects, eco-construction and intelligent building; and Innoget, an open innovation platform that helps companies to innovate. As for educational institutions, GREA Innovació concurrent, the TECNIO center of the University of Lleida that focuses its R&D in energy engineering, design and optimization of machinery and industrial automation and control, and the Leitat Technological Center, a member of TECNIO network with extensive experience in R&D in the field of energy efficiency and eco-construction, all participated in the event.

Renewable energy and the photovoltaic industry in Catalonia

Catalonia currently has an energy model with a high degree of external dependence. 81% of the energy consumer in Catalonia is not generated in the territory of the Euro-Zone, a percentage that is reduced to 53% when it comes to the EU-25. The paradigm shift could come in the form of photovoltaics, a young industry but one that can boast good results: their production has doubled every two years in recently. This is an outstanding pace of growth for a market that is divided into manufacturing, projects and the sale of power and with a strong presence in Catalonia. The business of photovoltaic projects is spread out among 93 engineering firms found throughout Catalonia.

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peter okochu 27/05/2010
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