Every year, the Solar Academy at the Université Savoie Mont Blanc organizes thematic schools that bring together students, early-career researchers, and international experts to explore advanced topics in solar energy research and innovation. These specialized schools cover themes ranging from solar energy integration in buildings and cities to scientific summer schools focused on multidisciplinary aspects of the solar transition, including workshops, lectures, and visits to experimental facilities such as those at INES.
Past editions have included events like the Sun-2C Scientific School on solar energy for buildings and other Solar Summer Schools designed to deepen knowledge and foster collaboration across engineering, science, and policy fields. The thematic schools provide a unique opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research, expand professional networks, and gain hands-on experience in an international academic environment.
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General context
A 56% increase in world energy demand is expected from 2010 to 2040. Solar energy technologies may play a significant role in the energy transition, through passive applications and power generation. The challenge is to tackle issues of the climate change, population increase, energy security, water scarcity, in a context of economic growth and rising urbanization. The solar resource is abundant and diffuse, and hence particularly well suited to the building sector. Moreover, it can be a vector for growth, linking economic objectives to the emergence of future technologies. The question becomes how to transform this potential into real power generation. This is the ambition of the recently established SOLAR ACADEMY Graduate School at University Savoie Mont Blanc, in partnership with CNRS and CEA.
Objectives
The Scientific SOLAR SUMMER SCHOOL “4Sun 2020” is the first in a series of annual educational events designed to equip young researchers and PhD candidates with a pluridisciplinary understanding of the solar energy transition from the level of solar cells up to city-scale. The 4Sun scientific school is also a valuable networking opportunity with participants from other countries. Our unique Solar Campus, in the beautiful foothills of the French Alps, beside the largest natural lake in the country (Lac de Bourget), is ideal setting to meet international experts and young researchers from a range of disciplines.
Program
The program comprises plenary sessions and thematic workshops. The plenaries cover the fields of Solar Cells Technology, Building Integration, Modelling and Data Sciences, Law and Public Policies, Economics and Business models.
The thematic workshops, organised in parallel sessions, will constitute in-depth classes of selected subjects. Among the topics include Solar Contracts, Experimental Assessments of Solar Cell Performance, Experimental Assessments of Solar Panels and System Performance, Modelling of Solar Resources in Cities, etc.
Participants are also invited to present a poster about their current research topic. The summer school will also include a visit of the extended experimental platform at INES (National Institute for Solar Energy), and rounds tables on career opportunities (Marie Curie fellowships) will be organised.
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Organizing comittee
- David Bailleul, Centre Antoine Favre, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Franck Barruel, Directeur, Institut National de l’Energie Solaire, France
- Lamia Berrah, Maître de conférences, laboratoire LISTIC, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Florence Besson, Chargée de projets, EUR SOLAR ACADEMY, laboratoire LOCIE, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Denys Dutykh, Chargé de Recherche, laboratoire LAMA, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Christophe Ménézo – Deputy Vice Chancellor of USMB in Charge of Real Estate and Energy Transition ; Director of the CNRS Research Federation on Solar Energy (FédESol), Deputy head of Solar Academy Graduate School, France
- Sebastien Monnet, laboratoire LISTIC, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Aude Pommeret, laboratoire IREGE, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Emilie Planes, Maître de conférences, laboratoire LEPMII, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Ioannis TSANAKAS, Senior researcher at CEA INES, France
- Prof. Monika Woloszyn, Directrice du laboratoire LOCIE, Deputy head of Solar Academy Graduate School, laboratoire LOCIE, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Etienne Wurtz, Directeur de Recherche, chef de service bâtiments systèmes thermiques, CEA LITEN, France
Forein experts (confirmed)
- Albert Abut, ALBERT ABUT ARCHITECTURE, Tokyo, Japan
- Matheus Bassani, Federal University of Rio Grande, Brazil
- Íñigo Del Guayo, University of Almería, Spain
- Tunç Durmaz, Yildiz Technical University, Turkey
- Antonio González, University of Almería, Spain
- Mirco Kron, University of Heidelberg, Germany
- David Martineau, SOLARONIX, Swisswerland
National experts (confirmed)
- Sadok Bendkhil, Dracula Technologies, France
- Solenn Berson, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, France
- Romain Cariou, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, France
- Louis De Fontenelle, Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, France
- Olivier Dupré, CEA, France
- Lionel Flandin, USMB, France
- Léon Gaillard, Heliocity France
- Philippe Jacques, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
- Romain Rouvoy, Université de Lille
- Laurent Vuillon, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, France
Summer School fees
Includes meals, coffee breaks, gala dinner, visits. Free registration for members of the Solar Academy
Fees:
- On-line participation : 60 €
- On-site participation : 100€
Associeted event
SP2020, October 28-30, 2020
Supported by
Registration on Click here
Contact
Université Savoie Mont Blanc,
Solar Academy Graduate School
Laboratoire LOCIE,
Polytech Annecy-Chambery,
Bâtiment Hélios, 60, rue du lac Léman,
73370 Le Bourget du Lac, France
+33 4 79 75 88 23
DATASUN Scientific School / 14th to 18th November 2022 / INES Le Bourget-du-Lac / Le Grand-Bornand (French Alpes)
Publié le lun 18 Juil 2022
DATASUN scientific school – Data Sciences for Solar Energy
14th to 18th of November 2022
INES – Le Bourget du Lac / Le Grand-Bornand (French Alpes)
For master and PhD students, post-docs, researchers, engineers and practitioners
Plenary sessions, workshops, visit of experimental facilities at INES
Context and objectives:
The DATASUN scientific school addresses data sciences and their applications to solar energy. It will be about data, its use, analysis and handing for solar energy related studies. The aim is to cover a wide range of scales: spatial scales, from the territory to the system, but also temporal scales, from yearly prediction (including climate changes forecasting) to short term predictions. Particular focus on the methods used to deal with data : clustering, bayesian approaches, machine learning, data mining, neural networks, statistical learning, principal component analysis, uncertainty analysis etc.
Scientific Program:
More details about the program here
and description for the conferences here
Inscriptions and fees:
The online registration until October 30th (discount until October 10th).
Cost student / post-doc : 450 euros
Non-students: 550 euros
After October 10th :
Cost student / post-doc : 550 euros
Non students : 650 euros
Fees cover the accommodation during the whole school (from monday to friday), breakfast, meal, dinner, gala dinner transportation from Le Bourget du Lac to Le Grand Bornand as well as activities.
For more information and to manifest interest please contact:
- Administrative support: scientific-school.solar-academy@univ-smb.fr
- Aurélie FOUCQUIER (CEA): aurelie.foucquier@cea.fr
- Martin THEBAULT (CNRS): martin.thebault@univ-smb.fr
Place:
| Date | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Place | Le Bourget du Lac. Departure for Le Grand Bornand | Le Grand Bornand | Le Grand Bornand | Le Grand Bornand | Le Grand Bornand, Travel back to Le Bourget du Lac |
Meeting point on Monday 14th, 8:30 a.m: INES, Helios building, 60 Av. du Lac Léman, 73370 Le Bourget-du-Lac, France
How to reach us
By train
TGV stations of Chambéry and Aix-les-Bains. Direct from Paris in less than 3 hours.
INES site at 10 minutes by car (car rental agency and cab station on site)
INES site at 15 minutes by public transportation:
– From Chambéry : Line A by Synchro Bus, stop « INES SUD »
– From Aix-les-Bains: Line 1 of the Ondéa network
By Road
– From Lyon: A43 freeway in the direction of Chambéry – Exit Chambéry / La Motte Servolex – Direction Le Bourget-du-Lac
– From Grenoble : Motorway A43 direction Chambéry – Follow Le Bourget-du-Lac
– From Annecy / Geneva : Motorway A41 towards Grenoble then A43 towards Chambéry – Exit Chambéry / La Motte Servolex – Direction Le Bourget-du-Lac
By plane
Less than an hour by freeway from the international airports of Lyon Saint Exupéry and Geneva International, and adjacent to the national airport of Chambéry – Aix-les-Bains.
SUN2C – Scientific School “Solar Energy for Buildings: from Components to Cities” (2023)
SUN2C was an academic and scientific event held from 20th to 24th November 2023 in Le Bourget-du-Lac – Yenne, France. It was organised as part of the Solar Academy initiative and was recognised as a thematic school by the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research).
Purpose & Focus
The SUN2C school brought together researchers, advanced students, and professionals from around the world to explore solar energy technologies and their application in the built environment. The event emphasized the full innovation chain — from individual components and materials up to their integration within buildings and urban areas — with the overarching goal of accelerating knowledge and innovation to support the decarbonisation of energy systems.
Content & Structure
- Lectures and Presentations: Delivered by experts, covering cutting-edge topics in photovoltaic and thermal solar technologies, innovative system designs, and energy modelling.
- Hands-On Workshops: Participants engaged in case studies and collaborative exercises to apply scientific concepts to real-world scenarios.
- Multiscale Approach: Activities spanned multiple scales — from micro-scale materials and components to macro-scale urban planning and city-wide energy integration.
Audience & Participation
The school attracted about 66 participants from different countries, including graduate and doctoral students, early-career researchers, and professionals interested in solar energy research and sustainable architecture.
Educational Goals
SUN2C aimed to:
- Strengthen participants’ understanding of solar energy systems and technologies.
- Provide advanced training in analytical and design methods used in research and industry.
- Encourage multidisciplinary thinking — combining engineering, architecture, and urban energy planning.
Language & Accessibility
All sessions and materials were conducted in English, making the program accessible to an international academic audience.
BIP SunMat – Thematic School – November 2024
From 18th to 22nd of November 2024
Objectives and Description:
Critical raw materials (CRMs) are defined by the European Commission as « raw materials of great importance to the EU economy, the supply of which is associated with high risk ». Their technological and economic importance, combined with concerns about their future availability as a result of geopolitical and geological factors, has led to increasing attention being paid to the raw materials used to produce energy from renewable sources. Indeed, in order to build the energy infrastructure essential to meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, significant quantities of mineral resources need to be mobilized. The International Energy Agency also points out that an energy system powered by low-carbon energy technologies needs many more minerals, including copper, silicon and silver for solar photovoltaics. There is currently no shortage of these mineral resources, but recent price rises (copper in particular) show that supply may struggle to keep pace with global climate ambitions. The European Commission recently moved from concern to policy with its action plan on critical raw materials. The criticality of these materials calls for their recycling and the improvement of technologies that do not depend on mineral resource management, which are the two pillars of a global approach to mineral safety.
Deadline to apply: September 15th 2024 to be sent to scientific-school.solar-academy@univ-smb.fr
The application requires the submission of a CV.
USMB will cover accommodation from Sunday night, November 17, 2024, to Thursday night, November 21, 2024.
This is the second edition of the Datasun Autumn’s school which was held in 2022 in le Grand Bornand. This year, the school will explore the energy transition within territories, emphasizing data-driven approaches, solar energy integration, and the spatial deployment of solar systems, with particular attention to mountainous regions.
The first day of the school will take place in Le Bourget du Lac, near Chambéry, featuring a visit to the INES platform (https://www.ines-solaire.org/). The remainder of the week will be hosted at the Centre Paul Langevin in Aussois.
The thematic school will include a balanced mix of plenary sessions and interactive scientific workshops. In collaboration with IBPSA – France.
When: 17th to 21th of November 2025
Where:
Chambéry (45° 34′ 12″ N, 5° 54′ 42″ E)
CNRS – Centre Paul-Langevin 24, Aussois– French Alps – (45° 23’ 16’’ N, 6° 74’ 17’’ E)
Description:
Contacts
- aurelie.foucquier@cea.fr
- martin.thebault@cnrs.fr
Full program can be found here. (missing information will be updated soon)
For registration please follow this link, early bird prices until the 10th of October
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdC-8E7lIAqm4efgkMJfKupHIkXksdD9DJ4-sZPQRc0MmwSqg/viewform
Registration fees include: participation to the thematic school, accommodation (in shared room of 2) from the monday evening to the friday and Lunch from the Monday lunch to Friday lunch included.