Annual Report 2006 - Plataforma Solar de Almería

PLATAFORMA SOLAR DE ALMERÍA
view of, the Unit’s income has increased slightly above the average of previous
years.
The setting for this continual increase in activity is one of growing interest
of institutions, research programs and a multitude of businesses, for solar
energy water applications, specifically, and environmental applications in general.
This interest is clearly justified by the conviction of many of the gravity of
local, Spanish and worldwide water problems. Given the equally important
issue of energy and the need to evolve toward sustainable non-oil energy
models, the clear conclusion arrived as is that tomorrow’s water problems (all
signs point to their being much more severe than they are now), are not going
to be solved with today’s energy. Since, furthermore, in those places
where these problems are the most critical, there is usually a good level of
solar irradiation, the development of innovative technologies is something
that is not only already appropriate, but absolutely indispensable. The development
of this type of technologies is the Unit’s basic goal.
The main activities carried out in 2006 in each of the various groups and
lines of research, and the technological development mentioned above are
described below.
4.2 Water Detoxification and Disinfection
Group
Recent concern for pollution and other environmental matters have led to a
search for new and more efficient methods for eliminating water pollution.
Among them, the use of solar radiation as a resource for developing physical
and chemical processes appears today to be a promising treatment method
for toxic pollution and water disinfection.
2006 has been an especially relevant year for the “Water Detoxification
and Disinfection” Group, as it has meant significant consolidation of the activities
that have been ongoing for 15 years. This was confirmed by the start up
in 2006 of four European projects (European Commission 6 th Framework Programme),
and another three National R&D Program projects, in addition to
the National Plan for Access, which due to its scientific and economic importance
could be considered to have the relative weight equivalent to various
national projects. It is worth mentioning that among these, one of them pertains
to the Ingenio 2010 Program (CONSOLIDER), MEC project of excellence
offered for the first time in 2006 and only 15 of which have been awarded to
science in all of Spain. The group is involved in the only CONSOLIDER project
devoted to water treatment. Details on each of them are given in the following
pages.
It should be mentioned that this is the most activity (and most demanding)
in the history of the group. Scientific production in 2006 can be summarized
as follows: 2 Ph.D. dissertations defended (supervised by members of the
group), 4 Ph.D. dissertations underway, 12 articles in journals in the impact
index (22 more accepted or in review) and 29 communications at 9 international
congresses (12 of them oral or invited). This is expected to increase in
the next few years as a result of all the projects that are beginning now.
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