The future of solar energy took a major leap forward this past October as the COOPERANT project officially held its Kick-Off Meeting (KoM) in the sun-drenched city of Sevilla. Hosted by project coordinator IDENER.AI, the event gathered an international consortium of researchers and industry experts to launch a four-year mission to redefine the limits of renewable power.
The meeting wasn’t just about technical roadmaps; it solidified a collaborative vision to make green energy truly “dispatchable”—meaning it can be delivered on demand, even when the sun isn’t shining.
What is COOPERANT?
COOPERANT (Leading-edge COOPERative advances towards the next generation of CONcenTrated solar power technology) is a high-impact initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program.
While traditional solar panels (PV) are common, COOPERANT focuses on Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). By using mirrors to concentrate sunlight, the project aims to reach extreme temperatures of up to 1,000°C. The goal is to solve the “intermittency” problem of solar energy through three core pillars:
Next-Gen CSP-TES System: Developing a high-performance volumetric solar receiver and a hybrid “packed-bed” Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system. This uses advanced phase-change materials to store heat more efficiently than ever before.
The COOPERANT-AI Tool: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning to monitor and optimize energy storage in real-time, ensuring the system is both scalable and commercially viable.
COOPERANT-TRANSFER: A dedicated program to bridge the gap between lab research and industrial application, engaging stakeholders to ensure these breakthroughs reach the global market
Join the Movement
The project has officially launched its digital presence to keep the public and industry experts informed. By following @COOPERANTproject on Instagram and LinkedIn, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at the labs, the people, and the breakthroughs that are paving the way for a sustainable, energy-independent future.
