CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES ENERGETICAS MEDIOAMBIENTALES Y TECNOLOGICAS

Their core work

CIEMAT is Spain's national research centre for energy, environment, and technology, operating major laboratory and pilot-plant facilities in Madrid. Their core work spans concentrated solar power (CSP) technology development, nuclear safety and fusion research, CO2 capture and geological storage, and environmental monitoring. They provide experimental infrastructure, materials testing, and simulation capabilities that underpin Europe's clean energy transition — from designing next-generation solar tower receivers to validating nuclear reactor safety models. They also contribute significantly to research infrastructure networks and citizen science initiatives across Europe.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2018), CIEMAT focused heavily on concentrated solar power engineering, bioethanol and biomass fuels, nuclear safety assessments, and climate-related atmospheric research. By 2019–2021, the portfolio shifted noticeably toward advanced materials development, safety-by-design approaches, circular economy, desalination, and citizen science — reflecting a broadening from pure energy technology toward environmental sustainability and public engagement. The nuclear and fusion strand remained constant throughout, anchored by the massive EUROfusion programme.

CIEMAT is expanding from hardware-focused energy R&D toward integrated sustainability themes — materials circularity, environmental health, and public participation in science — while maintaining its solar and nuclear core.

How they like to work

CIEMAT operates overwhelmingly as a consortium partner (90 of 110 projects) rather than a coordinator (13), which is typical for large national research centres that contribute specialized infrastructure and expertise to many parallel projects. With 1,217 unique consortium partners across 64 countries, they function as a high-connectivity hub in European research networks — a reliable, well-known partner that teams seek out for their facilities and domain depth. Their participation in 17 CSA (Coordination & Support) projects also signals an active role in shaping research policy and networking across the continent.

CIEMAT has collaborated with 1,217 distinct partner organizations across 64 countries, making it one of the most broadly networked energy research centres in H2020. Their reach extends well beyond the EU into global partnerships, though European institutions remain the core of their consortium activity.

What sets them apart

CIEMAT is one of very few European research centres that combines deep expertise in both concentrated solar power and nuclear/fusion technology under one roof — two pillars of future clean energy that rarely coexist in a single institution. Their scale (110 H2020 projects, EUR 73M in funding) and network breadth (1,200+ partners) make them an anchor partner that brings credibility and infrastructure access to any consortium. For businesses seeking to test energy materials, validate safety models, or pilot CSP components, CIEMAT offers both the facilities and the track record that de-risk collaboration.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EUROfusion
  By far CIEMAT's largest project at EUR 36.8M — a flagship European fusion energy programme representing half of their total H2020 funding.
• RAISELIFE
  EUR 1.07M project on extending the lifetime of CSP functional materials — sits at the intersection of CIEMAT's solar and materials expertise.
• CONCERT
  EUR 1.15M European Joint Programme integrating radiation protection research — demonstrates CIEMAT's role in shaping nuclear safety policy across Europe.