Locations of pilot plants
WROCLAW UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (WUST)
The Polish installation will be located on the premises of the Renewable Energy Laboratory of Wrocław University of Technology. The installation will be an integral part of the existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning system of building L-1 (Geocenter). Immediately after construction and commissioning, the pilot installation is to be used as the primary cooling system for the rooms located on the 3rd floor of part A of building L-1. The Renewable Energy Laboratory, established in 2020, aims to promote renewable energy sources not only to students, but also during meetings with city authorities or business entities. During the Wrocław University of Technology’s open days, the Lower Silesian Science Festival or the Night of Laboratories, the facility is available to high school students, and the pilot installation under construction will be presented during events organized in the coming years. The laboratory maintains its infrastructure thanks to the budget of the Department of Thermodynamics and Renewable Energy Sources and funds from the Wroclaw University of Technology, which ensures that the resulting infrastructure will be maintained for many years after the project’s completion, allowing students and visitors to learn about pioneering and innovative solutions aimed at mitigating climate change.
SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH CENTER (CIESOL)
In Spain, the installation will be connected to an existing HVAC system powered by solar panels, located at The Solar Energy Research Center (CIESOL) at the University of Almeria. CIESOL provides young researchers with access to research and training facilities and opportunities for advancement. The center’s main goal is to foster relationships with other national and international centers to promote better communication between related areas of renewable energy. CIESOL organizes many scientific and popularization events. Among the most important activities is the Solar Facilities for the European Research Area program, which aims to stimulate scientific cooperation between leading European research institutions in the field of concentrating solar power systems, offer European research and industry access to the best research and testing infrastructures, and create a virtual European laboratory. CIESOL, as a UAL facility, is receiving funding for both the infrastructure and the staffing of the operational systems installed in the building, thus guaranteeing the active use of the cooling system designed under the LIFE program, the use of which will continue for many years after the end of the project, as it will provide an excellent experimental setup with many scientific and teaching opportunities.
