The International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference(IRSEC'13) on March 2013

The Polydisciplinary Faculty of Ouarzazate, the Mediterranean Space of Technology and Innovation with the partnership of the Moroccan Agency of Solar Energy (MASEN) organize the First Edition of the International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference.

IRSEC'13 is an international scientific conference that provides an excellent opportunity for discussion and knowledge exchange for researchers, policy-makers, engineers and other specialists with an interest in issues related to renewable energy. It is supposed to spark discussion within the academic community and to bridge the gap between practitioners and experts.

IRSEC'13 covers a wide range of topics related to renewable energy technology, energy efficiency, green energy, climate change and sustainable energy systems.

More about it: http://www.med-space.org/irsec/index.html

Arkema and CEA set up two new joint laboratories dedicated to micro-electronics and organic electronics

Arkema and CEA are to extend their existing collaboration in photovoltaics to the field of micro-electronics and organic electronics by setting up two joint research laboratories. These public-private mixed laboratories will enable the development of new ultra high performance materials and their integration within manufacturing processes in growth areas of the electronics sector in France.

Both laboratories will pool Arkema's expertise in the design and production of high performance polymers with the competences of CEA researchers in the design and processes involved in the development of electronic components.

The CEA-Leti (Laboratoire d'Electronique et de Technologie de l'Information) and CEA-Liten (Laboratoire d'Innovation pour les Technologies des Energies Nouvelles et les nanomatériaux) laboratories constitute world-class applied research centers, in microelectronics and information technologies for the former, and in new energy technologies for the latter.

As part of its collaboration with Liten, Arkema, which markets a group of leading technical polymers (fluorinated, piezoelectric, nanostructured thermoplastic polymers), will be able to meet the technological challenges of the large-area printed electronics sector (flexible screens, intelligent packaging and textiles, photovoltaic panels), such as lifetime of the systems, cost of manufacture, and integration of several functions onto a single support. In fact, the use of organic materials, rather than silicon, opens up a new field of printable, transparent and flexible components that can be integrated into large-area printed electronic products.

More about it

SÜD-CHEMIE and CEA-LITEN industrialize component for lithium batteries

Süd-Chemie, the German specialist in the chemistry of surfaces, and CEA-Liten (Laboratory for Innovation in New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials), one of Europe's leading research centers in the new energy technology field and energy efficiency, have signed a license agreement for the use of a component of lithium batteries.

After working since 2004, CEA provides with lithium titanate Li4Ti5O12 one of the best performances in the world mainly due to an optimized particle size distribution.

This material is suitable to different uses where safety, long-lived and fast charge-discharge are required. Süd-Chemie, a group company of Swiss Clariant AG, will complete its range of materials for batteries.

The same technology has been transferred to another company earlier this year. Thanks to these licensing agreements, battery manufacturers, partners of CEA, will have a high quality material commercially available with competitive prices.

2009 Activity Report

The Liten 2009 activity report has just came out. You will find inside key numbers and highlights for this year.

Publications and Patents

RHODIA and CEA are pooling their expertise to develop innovative LITFSI solutions for Lithium batteries which combine safety and performance

LYON, France, July 26, 2011 - Rhodia Aroma Performance, world leader in the production and sale of LiTFSI*, and CEA-Liten, CEA Laboratory dedicated to Innovation for renewable energies and energy efficiency, have joined forces to offer a sustainable solution to the energy needs of electro-mobility markets (electric vehicles and portable electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones).

As part of this collaboration launched in May 2011, the partners are contributing their respective know-how and expertise to demonstrate the benefits offered by Rhodia LiTFSI in terms of technical performance and safety in the electronic systems of electrolyte batteries (in Li-ion battery, LiTFSI is used for electrolyte, the conductor environment in which ions are moving, creating the electric current).

"The safety, autonomy and cost of Li-ion battery systems are the top concern of the mobility market and a guarantee that must be provided to consumers. This collaboration with Rhodia is an opportunity for CEA to actively contribute to the development of these applications." said Didier Marsaq, Director of CEA-Liten.

Tests and demonstrations are being carried out in several phases on standard batteries ranging from R&D cells to more complex systems, in line with applications. They will make it possible to define the optimal conditions of use of this innovative lithium salt that combines safety and performance.

"This partnership with CEA-Liten illustrates Rhodia capacity to develop, thanks to research and open innovation, innovative products and solutions dedicated to the efficiency and safety of energy storage." said Dominique Rage, President of Rhodia Aroma Performance.


* LiTFSI: Lithium bis(TriFluoromethaneSulfonyl)Imide

Franco-Tunisian cooperation in energy: Installation of a demonstration unit combining SOITEC's CONCENTRIXT concentrating photovoltaic technology with the electricity storage systems developed by the CEA

(Tunisia), 4 July 2011 - During a visit to Tunisia by Eric Besson, French minister of industry, energy and the digital economy, the CEA and Soitec, a world leader in generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials, signed with the Tunisian national electricity and gas company (STEG) a statement of intent to set up a demonstration unit combining Soitec's ConcentrixT concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology with various electricity storage systems developed by the CEA, and lithium-ion batteries in particular.

There are various different goals for this project. In terms of energy policy, it reflects Tunisia's determination to strengthen its energy security and independence by harnessing its solar resources. The intended role of the storage systems is to regulate the intermittence of renewable energies and to maximise the electricity contributed to the grid to improve its management.

From a scientific perspective, this demonstration unit will help to enhance knowledge of how CPV solar plants and storage systems operate over the long term in real usage conditions. It will lead to the development of skills in Tunisia and the sharing of expertise in new energy technologies through the creation of joint Franco-Tunisian research teams.

Commenting on the project, André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, Soitec's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are delighted that the CEA with its ground-breaking technology has chosen to use Soitec's ConcentrixT concentrating photovoltaic technology in this demonstration unit for its electricity storage systems. Our CPV systems deliver the best energy performance in the market for regions with abundant sunshine. The possibility of combining them with the various electricity storage systems developed by the CEA should extend our leadership by offering innovative solutions that include electricity storage."

6 of october 2010: Ines and Toyota launch a solar station for Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles

The National Institute of Solar Energy (Ines) and Toyota today launched a solar station for Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHV) close to Chambery (France). Resulting from the collaboration between the CEA-Ines and Toyota, and with the support of Ademe, this experimental platform prefigures a new type of future mobility. This launch marks the beginning of a large study on the energy convergence between solar energy, building and transport. Ten Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrids will be tested by using photovoltaic park demonstrators located at Ines and CEA-Grenoble (solar charging stations, individual houses equipped with photovoltaic modules) in order to maximize the solar energy contribution and to minimize the needs in fossil fuel. This project highlights the strong involvement of the CEA in the fields of zero emission transport, solar energy and low energy building.

Statistic studies show that in France half of the population drives less than 16 km (1) per day for commuting between home and work. Besides, a photovoltaic panel of 1 m2 can provide in France on a yearly basis the necessary energy to run a PHV for 1 000 km in pure electric mode. It is therefore possible to design buildings with solar panels installed on the roof top and partly covering the household electrical power needs as well as the householders' needs in mobility. In that sense, one can speak of convergence between solar photovoltaic energy - building - transport.

This project implemented by the CEA-Ines and Toyota will enable to explore these convergences leading to a global energy system optimization. The aim is to identify the possibilities in terms of locations to collect energies, energy storage and optimizing the use of electrical grid.

The first step will consist in the validation of the aforementioned figures by measuring over a year the production of solar panels and the consumption of PHV according to different trip patterns. Then, the study will include a forecast for future electricity purchase tariffs from electrical grid while giving priority to the consumption of locally-produced photovoltaic electricity as well as to the resale of photovoltaic electricity production surplus. Finally, a global analysis of this operation will enable to quantify the technological and economic benefits achieved and then to simulate the potentials in case of a large-scale rollout.

The solar station is made up of a 150 m-2 photovoltaic panel and twelve charging stands installed at Ines site where the Toyota Prius plug-In hybrids allocated to researchers can be charged. 'This demonstration operation will enable to highlight the relevance of charging electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles via photovoltaic systems', explained Olivier Wiss, project manager of 'Solar Mobility' at Ines. The solar station at Ines has a potential charging capacity equivalent to 135 000 kilometers per year (150 Wh/km). In order to maximize the charging from solar energy while integrating the user's requirements, simultaneous needs, battery state of charge and state of health, solar energy availability, electrical grid constraints, electricity pricing variations, the whole will be controlled by an intelligent Energy Management System. The objective of this system is to achieve an optimum planning of charging during the day. Without this system, only 20 to 30% of the produced photovoltaic energy would be converted to driving kilometers.

The Plug-in Hybrid technology is a key driver on our road towards sustainable mobility ', said Koei Saga, Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC). ' Based on Toyota's full hybrid powertrain, PHV is the most practical way of increasing the use of electricity for personal transport today. In this context, it is essential to consider the use of all sources of energy for electricity and pay a special attention to low-carbon sustainable sources such as solar energy. That's why we are delighted to take part in this pioneer project with Ines in France.

For Toyota, this experimentation is part of a global project involving 600 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles deployed in Europe 3 of which are in Ireland, Japan, the US and other countries, which aims to prepare the launch of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid on the global and European market by 2012. Toyota's PHV is 'the best of both worlds': for short distances, it can be driven as an electric vehicle, resulting in a silent, zero CO2 emissions drive. For longer distances, the PHV works as a conventional hybrid vehicle, providing all the benefits of Toyota's full hybrid technology, including low emissions and fuel consumption, and excellent driving performance. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid is equipped with a lithium-ion battery and emits only 59g CO2 per km in the New European Driving Cycle (2).

For ADEME, this project is part of its 'research demonstrators' programme, whose purpose is to test future technologies allowing the reduction of greenhouse gases. The automotive industry faces major challenges, requiring alternatives to conventional internal combustion engines. This programme is one of the eleven projects selected in a call for interest in the Demonstrators Fund on low-emission vehicles launched by ADEME in 2008. This experiment in real-world conditions is essential to validate not only the feasibility of the involved technologies but also their adoption by daily users, and to prepare the automobile to smart electrical grids of tomorrow and buildings of the future.



ENP Newswire October 04, 2010