Innovative research for solar applications – SOLARIS

SOLARIS (Innovative research for solar application) is a joint laboratory between Institut Jean Lamour (University of Lorraine) and Viessmann Faulquemont SAS, created in order to develop and propose new generations of solar thermal solutions on the market. According to the actual trends of the European solar market: crush down of the photovoltaic’s sells in 2012-13 and reduction of the thermal solar sells by 10-12% per year since 2008 , the strategy of SOLARIS is to introduce innovation with lower fabrication, installation and maintenance costs for domestic applications (heating of domestic water mainly) which is in perfect agreement with the European objectives concerning the strong reduction of greenhouse gases emission in 2020 and 2050. According to its ambitious R&D program SOLARIS will propose a new smart solar thermal collectors in 2016 in order to strongly reduce the technical problems associated to high stagnation temperature. This new product is based on a new smart selective layer (Viessmann/UL/CRNS patent pending) that passively alters its performance as from a critical working temperature between 80-100°C. With such a new solar collector, high performances are achieved to heat domestic water whereas overheating problems are fully avoided. Moreover, if stagnation temperature as low as 140°C can be stabilized thanks to SOLARIS developments, polymeric materials could be used for the absorber manufacturing with a strong cost reductions. This is only an example among many others that will be developed in the frame of SOLARIS. As an example new layer with reinforced corrosion and high temperature resistance (CSP applications) will also be developed.

According to their previous R&D successful collaborations (CIFRE PhD, Master training courses) and to their respective expertise in the fields of thin films elaboration and characterization and solar thermal production, the long term collaboration of IJL and Viessmann will guarantee the success of SOLARIS and its European shining.