Solar Energy Research Center, SERC Chile, participated in the Solar World Congress 2025 with studies on solar thermal and concentrated solar technologies, highlighting the presence of researchers from partner universities in the official scientific program of the international congress.
The Solar World Congress 2025 brought together specialists from more than 40 countries in Fortaleza, Brazil, including Chilean academics who were part of the technical program with research selected by the scientific committee. The studies presented address innovations in Fresnel-type solar collectors and the application of solar heat in industrial processes such as galvanization, supported by advanced thermal storage systems. This research was developed at the Universidad de Antofagasta and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile with the participation of researchers Diego Pulido and José Miguel Cardemil, both linked to the country's solar scientific ecosystem.
“The Solar World Congress shows us that the research being developed in Chile, whether from the University or from SERC Chile, is at a very high level, on par with all international researchers. The topics and depth we are working on in Chile are of very high quality, comparable to what is done in Europe and the Americas. Our research is more elaborate and scientific, with a higher technological level. While some countries in the region are still testing basic collectors or models, in Chile we are already on another scale,” stated academic Diego Pulido.
The publications include advancements in the design and operation of next-generation solar collectors and the implementation of packed-bed thermal storage systems to optimize heat-intensive industrial processes. Their selection in the official congress program reflects the contribution that Chilean research is making to the development of high-efficiency solar solutions for industry.
Representing SERC Chile at SWC2025
The national presence was also reflected in the role of SERC Chile principal investigator, José Miguel Cardemil, who was invited to chair one of the oral sessions dedicated to hybrid photovoltaic-thermal systems, a recognition that attests to his career and the positioning of national research within the international community. Representing Universidad Santa María was researcher Valeria del Campo; from Universidad de Chile, Juana Felipe; and from Universidad de Antofagasta, Abdiel Mallco.
The Solar World Congress 2025 brought together presentations on advanced photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, storage, grid integration, and new industrial applications. For SERC Chile, this participation reaffirms its commitment to advancing frontier research and projecting Chilean scientific development into the global conversation on energy transition.
