The CIEMAT (Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research) is a Public Research Organization attached to the Ministry of Science and Innovation through the General Secretariat of Research, focused mainly on the fields of energy and the environment and technological fields. related to both. It occupies an intermediate position in the chain that goes from the creation of basic knowledge to industrial application, so that its scope of activity always seeks to serve as a bridge between R&D&I and objectives of social interest.

With a human team made up of 1,328 people, CIEMAT is technologically and geographically diversified. In addition to the Madrid headquarters where a significant part of the staff works, Andalusia has the Almería Solar Platform (PSA), a large scientific facility of international recognition in solar technologies; in Soria with the Renewable Energy Development Center (CEDER) and the International Center for Environmental Law Studies (CIEDA); in Extremadura with the Extremeño Center for Advanced Technologies (CETA) located in Trujillo, and in Barcelona there is the headquarters of the Sociotechnical Research Center (CISOT).

The Plataforma Solar de Almería, PSA (www.psa.es) is one of these outlying centers of the CIEMAT (www.ciemat.es), is Public Research Centre of the Govern of Spain, formally considered by the European Commission as an European Large Scientific Installation and it is also the largest and most complete R+D center in the World devoted to solar thermal concentrating systems. PSA is integrated in the CIEMAT organization as an R&D division of the Department of Energy. PSA is also a Singular Science and Technology Infrastructures (ICTS) of Govern of Spain.

In this sense, we work closely with other national R&D&i centers, institutions, universities and companies in the sector in our country in order to transfer the knowledge and technology that have been generated, and thereby support and help the promoting innovation and changing the economic model based on knowledge.

The good solar conditions, its diverse solar facilities and the highly-skilled PSA staff, provide a unique infrastructure for R+D, evaluation, demonstration, education and technology transfer regarding solar energy applications.

PSA is located in southeastern Spain, in the Tabernas Desert at 37º05’27.8” north and 2º21’19” west. It receives a direct annual insolation of more than 1900 kWh/(m2•year) and the average annual temperature is around 17ºC. PSA counts with over 30 years of experience in the operation, maintenance and evaluation of solar thermal concentrating systems, their components and different types of commercial applications. At present, PSA has a large variety of experimental installations and laboratories for R+D activities related to solar thermal concentrating systems.

The following goals inspire its research activities

• Contribute to establishing a sustainable clean world energy supply.
• Contribute to the conservation of European energy resources and protection of its climate and environment.
• Promote the market introduction of solar thermal technologies and those derived from solar chemical processes.
• Contribute to the development of a competitive Spanish solar thermal export industry.
• Reinforce cooperation between business and scientific institutions in the field of research, development, demonstration and marketing of solar thermal technologies.
• Strengthen cost-reducing techno-logical innovations contributing to increased market acceptance of solar thermal technologies.
• Promote North-South technological cooperation, especially in the Mediterranean Area.
• Assist industry in identifying solar thermal market opportunities.