Research partnerships

CEA-Liten is a pillar of the INES solar energy research campus and a founding member of the Carnot Energies du Futur (EF) research center co-led with engineering school Grenoble INP - UGA. We are also a member of the UGA IDEX research consortium via CEA Grenoble. Through these partnerships, CEA-Liten scientists are involved in the cross-disciplinary programs ECOSESA and CIRCULAR.

In France, we also work with more than 30 state-owned enterprises, including BRGM, CSTB, and IFPEN. National scientific research institutes like CNRS are also among our partners. Finally, we are active in research policy at the national level through participation in several coordinating organizations and alliances. These initiatives build lasting relationships with academic research labs, promote our research, and support informed national energy research policy decisions. CEA-Liten is a part of:

• GDR HySPàC: Hydrogen, Systems, and Fuel Cells, now GIS IFHy (a France Hydrogène initiative)
• GDR 2010 HPERO: Halogenated perovskites
• Think Smartgrids
•  International Building Performance Simulation Association – France

We are also active at the European level through participation in the International Energy Agency's (IEA) programs. CEA-Liten represents France for IEA programs on hydrogen, fuel cells, and photovoltaics. 

Beyond Europe's borders, we work with NREL and Los Alamos National Lab in the United States, AIST in Japan, and SITRI in China on renewable energy, energy grids, and energy storage. These partnerships are vital to sharing knowledge and know-how in both experimental and simulation-based research. They also provide scientists with valuable international exchange opportunities.​​

Our regional ecosystem

 

GIANT GIANT (Grenoble Innovation for Advanced New Technologies) is an alliance of eight institutions established to create new ties between higher education, research, and industry. The idea is to support technological breakthroughs with the capacity to bring value to society and the economy.

  

 

Carnot Énergies du Futur Carnot Énergies du Futur An institute of the Carnot Network, Carnot Énergies du Futur is dedicated to innovation in low-carbon energy technologies.   Liten and ten other labs in Grenoble and Chambéry are engaged in this institute, which provides companies with R&D services spanning the entire innovation value chain.

  

 

INES INES (France’s national institute for solar energy) is a global leader in R&D and education on advanced solar photovoltaic technologies, their integration into electricity systems, and smart energy management. INES boasts a highly-qualified staff of 500, is home to thirteen Liten labs, and houses one joint research unit affiliated with Savoie Mont-Blanc University. Backed by state-of-the-art equipment, INES brings industrial companies extensive solar photovoltaic know-how from proof of concept to technology transfer.

  

INES.2S Since 2019, ITE INES.2S has been recognized as an Institute for Energy Transition (ITE) and has received support from the French government under the Programme d'Investissements d'Avenir. It aims to open up the economic opportunities generated by the development of solar energy to French industry, with one objective: to promote the massive integration of photovoltaic energy and thus contribute to the energy transition:   Developing solar technologies adapted to the constraints of their destination/use, Their electrical and digital implementation in systems and networks in the most optimized way, With constant attention to their durability, reliability and economic viability in order to ensure their bankability, Sharing knowledge sharing and training. Already some fifty associated companies benefit from the institute's research and development work.   Based on the commitment of seven member partners, INES.2S brings together in a consortium the major industrial players in the sector, namely CNR, COLAS, RENAULT and the SME 2CA, the INES PFE training platform, the University of Savoie Mont-Blanc, and the CEA.   The members voted unanimously at the end of 2021 to add two new members to the consortium: DELTA DORE and STEADYSUN.

  

 

Tenerrdis Energy cluster Tenerrdis' mission is to promote the growth of sustainable business models and the creation of long-lasting jobs in the new energy technology industry. The cluster's initiatives align with the objectives of the energy transition and mobilize all resources (industry, government, academic, and scientific).

  

AXELERA AXELERA, the cluster for the chemical and environmental sectors in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, creates value by supporting the emergence of innovative, economically-competitive solutions for industry at the crossroads of chemistry, environmental technology, and energy and promotes the region's ecosystem internationally.

  

​Our programs ​

France:

At CEA-Liten, we believe that the best way to ensure sustainable energy independence and secure our energy supply is through effective research and industry-building efforts that benefit the economy and society and that create jobs. Our approach aligns with France's national energy policy.

At the national level, CEA-Liten has been asked to contribute to energy policy by different stakeholders such as:

• Government agencies through Comités Stratégiques de Filières (industry-specific strategy committees).
• A number of different associations and committees, including SER, AFHYPAC, AFELIM, AMORCE, and COMES (the National Solar Energy Commission) in which we are particularly active.
• Clusters like Axelera, Tenerrdis, and Plastipolis.
  

We are also actively involved in French National Research Agency (ANR), National Energy Agency (ADEME), Directorate General for Armament (DGA), and Single Interministerial Fund (FUI) projects, and in strategic industrial innovation projects financed by Bpifrance. We are also involved in the Equipex and Labex projects, and in projects involving ITE INES.2S, which are financed through the government's more recent France 2030 strategic innovation program.

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Europe:

As a leading European RTO, we liaise with key European decision makers, contribute to European technology platforms, and are active in numerous associations and public-private partnerships. 

We have initiated or contributed to more than 100 EU-funded projects in the fields of renewable energy and materials, mainly:

• Solar energy
• Batteries, hydrogen, and thermal energy storage
• Closing the carbon cycle
• Energy efficiency
• Waste recovery and conversion
• Energy grids and systems
• Decarbonized mobility
• Materials and the circular economy
• Printed and structural electronics​