The European SALTOpower project, coordinated by the University of Évora, has successfully concluded after three years of activities focused on the development and promotion of molten salt technologies for energy applications. The project formally ended in October 2025, with the final review meeting taking place in January 2026 and receiving very positive feedback.

Funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme, SALTOpower ran from November 2022 to October 2025. The consortium was led by the University of Évora and included two leading European research partners: DLR – German Aerospace Center and ENEA – Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development.

The main objective of the project was to strengthen scientific excellence and innovation capacity in the field of concentrated solar power and thermal energy storage using molten salts, technologies considered promising solutions for dispatchable electricity generation and for supporting the integration of renewable energy sources into energy systems.

Throughout its three-year implementation, SALTOpower promoted international scientific collaboration, training and capacity-building activities, as well as the enhancement of solar energy research infrastructure in Évora. A key component of the project was the mobility programme for Young Researchers and Candidate Young Researchers, which enabled early-career researchers to undertake research visits and training periods with partner institutions. These exchanges played an important role in strengthening scientific skills, fostering knowledge transfer between institutions, and supporting the professional development of the next generation of researchers in the field of solar energy and molten salt technologies.

The final project meeting, held in January 2026, marked the closure activity of the project. According to the consortium team, the evaluation process was successfully completed, with the technical report approved. The feedback from the Project Officer from the European Commission and the auditor was very positive, highlighting the achievement of the project’s objectives, the scientific quality of the results, and the impact of the activities carried out.

With the conclusion of SALTOpower, the SOL4R Unit (Renewable Energies Chair of the University of Évora) further strengthens its position within the European research landscape in solar energy and thermal energy storage, consolidating its scientific capacity and opening new opportunities for collaboration in future international projects supporting the energy transition.