On the night of July 7, Solar Impulse, piloted by the Swiss aviator André Borschberg, flew above the Jura mountains in search of an achievement never before obtained by aviators. For 26 hours, the airplane was kept airborne by an unprecedented fuel source; electric batteries charged with 12,000 solar cells made possible this flight that is already part of the history of aviation.

Xavier Pujol Gebellí | 20 July 2010

Energy Week is a campaign the Catalan Institute for Energy Research organizes annually with the collaboration of different companies and organizations that aims to educate the Catalan public to improve energy management and encourage behavioral changes regarding energy consumption.

11 june 2010

What will the solar homes of the future be like? Self-sufficient in their energy needs, environment friendly and economically more affordable. This characterizes the prototype solar home designed by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), one of the institutions participating in an international competition of solar houses that begins June 18 in Madrid and will prove to be a true showcase of homes for the future.

Patricia Morén | 9 june 2010

The Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) has announced its participation as the sole Spanish institution in the project “Towards Net Zero Energy Solar Buildings,” promoted by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

4 june 2010

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

In 1954, a group of scientists from Bell Labs in New Jersey (USA), famous for discovering the laser and fibre optics, saw how silicon devices, to which the impurities of other metals were added, showed a high sensitivity to light. Then the generating of electricity from sunlight began, from the use of silicon photovoltaic cells. However, the efficiency of current commercial solar panels still exceeds 14%. The good news is that nanotechnology offers new opportunities for a more efficient use of sunlight.

Cristina Jiménez | 26 February 2010

This interactive map provides information on renewable energy by countries on energy policies, the installed power, the objectives of each of them, current assessments and the production of future scenarios.

Three students from the UPC devise a universal wireless charging system for electric cars Students from the School of Industrial Engineering of Terrassa (EUETIT) of the Università Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC) have presented innovative ideas, such as a universal wireless charging system for electric cars, a solar thermal tent, autonomous eco-campers with solar and wind power energy or a system to sterilize medical equipment that saves 98% of energy.

China bets for renewable energy as a solution to two major problems: the lack of power and the protection of the environment.

7 December 2009

Zigor Aldama, Shanghai

Starting from the main theme of the sun and its cultural, biological and astrophysics influence, this edition from NOW, that will be held in the CCCB from the 26th to the al 28th of November, wants to explore the new culture that has been developed from renewable energies, with special emphasis on solar energy.

20 november 2009

The government has approved the decree regulating the administrative processing of wind farms and solar plants in Catalonia, which is aimed at simplifying the licensing procedures and streamline its installation in the territory. The entry into force of this decree will contribute to achieving the goals set in the Energy Plan for Catalonia 2006-2015 on renewable energy.

The Universitat de Lleida (UDL) has patent a system that improved the effectiveness and reliability of photovoltaic solar plaques of high concentration, this means, those that are used in optical systems like for example mirrors to increase electricity production stemming from the light of the sun. It is a hybrid heatsink of high energetic flows that reduces the warming of the receptor, increasing the obtainment of electric energy and prolonging the useful life of the installation. In this way it is possible that the photovoltaic solar plaques are more profitable.

A team led by the president of the Free Knowledge Foundation (FKF), Pablo Machón, and the entrepreneur Ángel Blázquez have developed a portable computer weighing 700 g that uses exclusively free software (GNU/Linux), contains a solar panel and is made out of bioplastics. The price of the mini-PC, on sale in June, will be around 130 Euros.

A.R. | 4 May 2009

The use of solar radiation in order to reduce energy could probably end all energy problems that plague the planet. Affronted with already known proposals such as solar panels or photovoltaic cells, researchers worldwide are betting for artificial photosynthesis as an alternative.

CRISTINA JIMÉNEZ | 24 april 2009

One of the objectives of the next great climate change summit (to be held in December in Copenhagen), is to come to an agreement in order to stop the global temperature of the planet rising by no more than 2 ºC in this century. Many experts already predict, however, that this aim will be surpassed. If this happens, Earth will become a different planet.

Mónica G. Salomone | 26 march 2009