FUNDACION CENER

Their core work

CENER is Spain's National Renewable Energy Centre, a research and technology organization focused on applied R&D in solar energy (both CSP and PV), wind energy, bioenergy, and energy storage. They develop and test renewable energy technologies — from molten salt solar power plants and wind farm control systems to advanced biofuels and biomass conversion processes. CENER also operates research infrastructure for offshore renewables testing and provides technical services including solar resource forecasting, energy system integration studies, and smart city energy planning. Their work bridges the gap between laboratory research and industrial deployment across multiple renewable energy technologies.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015-2018), CENER concentrated heavily on specific renewable energy hardware: molten salt CSP plants, solar power tower engineering, bio-butanol production from lignocellulosic feedstocks, and wind turbine control systems. From 2018 onwards, their focus shifted toward energy system integration — grid flexibility, energy transition market design, sustainable aviation fuels, CO2 capture membranes, and circular economy approaches to waste. This reflects a move from component-level technology development to system-level energy transition challenges.

CENER is evolving from a renewable energy hardware developer into a systems integrator focused on flexibility, sector coupling, and sustainable fuel pathways — making them increasingly relevant for energy transition and decarbonization consortia.

How they like to work

CENER primarily operates as an active participant (29 of 39 projects) but has demonstrated coordination capability in 6 projects, including their largest grant (STARDUST, EUR 1.5M). With 523 unique consortium partners across 33 countries, they maintain an exceptionally wide European network rather than relying on repeat partnerships. This breadth makes them a well-connected entry point into Southern European renewable energy ecosystems and a reliable technical partner who can integrate into diverse consortia.

CENER has collaborated with 523 distinct partners across 33 countries, indicating one of the broader networks among Spanish energy research centres. Their reach spans nearly all EU member states, with strong connections in Western and Southern European renewable energy research communities.

What sets them apart

CENER stands out by combining deep expertise across three renewable energy pillars — solar, wind, and bioenergy — within a single organization, which is uncommon for a national energy centre of its size. Their trajectory from component testing to urban-scale energy integration (STARDUST) positions them to bridge technology demonstration and real-world deployment. For consortium builders, CENER offers a rare combination: they can contribute to solar CSP, wind farm optimization, and biofuel production within the same project, reducing the need for multiple specialized partners.

Highlights from their portfolio

• STARDUST
  CENER's largest H2020 project (EUR 1.5M, coordinated) on integrated smart city energy models — signals their strategic move toward urban-scale system integration.
• CAPTure
  Coordinated project on competitive solar power towers, directly aligned with CENER's core CSP expertise and Spain's solar resource advantage.
• SCALIBUR
  Their second-largest grant (EUR 1.2M) in circular bioeconomy — covering bioplastics, proteins from waste, and new business models — showing cross-sector versatility beyond traditional renewables.