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Solar Technology Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute PSI
and Professorship in Renewable Energy Carriers - ETH Zurich

The research programs of the Solar Technology Laboratory at PSI and the Institute of Energy Technology at ETH Zurich are airmed at the advancement of the thermal, thermochermical, and electrochemical engineering sciences applied in the field of concentrated solar energy technology. The research focus is in the investigation of radiation heat transfer in multi-phase chermical reacting flows, therrmodynamic analysis of novel solar energy conversion processes, high-ternperature solar thermochemical reactor engineering, and solar hydrogen production.
The PSI/ETH's mission is to develop the science and technology required for transforming solar energy into chemical fuels at an industrial scale with a thermochermical process that effects this conversion more competitively than any other solar-to-fuels process.

The PSI/ETH research facilities include:
icona 40-kW 5,000-suns solar furnace,
icona 50-kW 11,000-suns high-flux solar simulator,
icontwo 75-kW 5,000-suns high-flux solar simulators,
iconphysical chemistry laboratories.

The PSI/ETH joint staff includes 10 scientists, 9 engineers/technicians, 11 doctoral students, and 20 Master students. PSI serves as the Operating Agent for Solar Chemistry in the International Energy Agency's SolarPACES Program. The editorial headquarter of the ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering is located at ETH Zurich.
Solar chemical reactor for the production of hydrogen in operation
Solar chemical reactor for
the production of hydrogen
in operation

Solar chemical reactor configuration for the thermal dissociation of Zn0 at 2000K
Solar chemical reactor
configuration for the thermal
dissociation of Zn0 at 2000K

The 40 kW PSI solar furnace
The 40 kW PSI solar furnace


The PSl's High-F1ux Solar Simulator
The PSl's High-F1ux Solar Simulator
(see SOLLAB highlight)
SOLLAB Highlight

The PSl's new High-Flux Solar Sirmulator features high performance level of combined radiative power (up to 50 kW) and power flux (exceeding 11,000 kW/m2).
This research facility simulates the radiation characteristics of highly concentrating solar systems and serves as an experimental platform for investigating the thermochemical processing of solar fuels and for testing advanced high-temperature materials in the 1000-3000 K range.

NEWS and EVENTS

June 15 – 17, 2017
13th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies will be organised in Berlin by the DLR, Germany


June 6 – 8, 2016
12th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies will be organised by the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA), Spain


June 23 – 25, 2014
10th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at PROMES Odeillo, France


March 2014
New position for a research engineer, experienced in energy systems at CNRS/PROMES


May 13 – 14, 2013
9th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at Hornberg Castle in the Black Forest, Germany


June 25-26, 2012
8th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at Almería, Spain


December 19, 2011
New Position for a PhD student opened at the Paul Scherrer Institute


March 24-25, 2011
2nd SFERA Winter School at ETH Zürich, Switzerland


March 21-23, 2011
7th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium in Grindelwald, Switzerland

June7-9, 2010
6th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PROMES Odeillo, France

September 2009
New Post-doctoral position opened at PROMES, 2009-2010

June 22-24, 2009
5th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, DLR Cologne, Germany

September 10-12, 2008
4th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PSA, Spain

September 11-12-13, 2007
3rd SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PROMES-Odeillo, France

14-15 Apr. 2006
1st Workshop SOLLAB Flux and Temperature Measurement Group - Odeillo