Technical visits and trips
Organisers offer three simultaneous technical visits to be chosen by the participants. The times given here are indicative only. The organisers reserve the right to cancel or amend the programme of the visits according to unforeseen circumstances or in the event of the number of applicants failing to reach minimum quotas. All of them will be guided visits.
If you are interested in joining any of the technical visits, please indicate so when enrolling.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VISITS:
Almería Solar Platform (PSA)
The Almería
Solar Platform (PSA), which belongs to the
Energy, Environment and Technology Research Centre (CIEMAT) , is the
largest research and development and experimentation centre in Europe
dedicated to solar concentration technologies. The PSA carries out its
activities as an integral R+D line within the structure of the Department
of Renewable Energies of CIEMAT.
The PSA is located in the desert of Tabernas, 50 kilometres from the
city of Almería.
http://www.psa.es/webesp/index.html
http://www.ciemat.es/
Research Centre “Las Palmerillas Experimental Station”
Aware
of the need to experiment with new techniques to increase the efficacy
of agricultural production and to modernise production systems, the
Caja Rural de Almería, created its Experimental Station in 1975
at Las Palmerillas, in the municipal district of El Ejido (Almería).
From the first the purpose of the station has been to test and develop
new technologies, methods and products relating to protected horticulture
and Mediterranean and sub-tropical fruit culture in our local conditions.
http://www2.larural.es/agrdatos/
http://www.fundacioncajamar.es/
http://www.fundacioncajamar.es/estacion/agrdatos/default.htm
Traditional Hydrology
Visit to various places representing the traditional landscape and hydrology of the area. These will include the Isabel II Reservoir and the Huebro Water Mills.
Isabel II Reservoir: in 1850 the
reservoir was built in Nijar (Almería), one of the largest hydraulic
projects in Spain set up in the 19th century. The torrential character
of the hydrological regime so typical of the semi-arid areas, aggravated
by the serious desertification problems that the basin suffered, explains
why a decade after being constructed, the available storage capacity of
the reservoir was cut down to half. Such circumstances, along with the
scarce catchment area and the dispersion of shareholders were the causes
of the resounding disaster of what was an enormous investment in its day.
Nevertheless, the dam continues to comply with one of its main objectives,
which is to line the channels, and currently, due to its interest as a
historical monument, the Confederación Hidrográfica del
Sur is considering its possible rehabilitation and adaptation.
Molinos de Huebro: The village of Huebro is 3 km to the north of the municipal district of Níjar, approximately 25 km to the north east of Almería. Huebro, located at a height of 690 m, lies beside a horseshoe-shaped basin which borders a wall of mountains surrounded by peaks reaching 1.000 m. The dark limestone mountains create a steep terrain punctuated by purplish clay schists which are part of the Palaeozoic base which supports the Sierra Alhamilla. The valley descends abruptly from Huebro down to Níjar, which is 360 m above sea level. Despite the steep mountains, many with their lower slopes forming terraces, the gently sloping hills form the horseshoe of the lower Huebro and provide a nucleus of market garden with numerous crops and a variety of fruit trees, which contrast starkly with deep ravines in the straighter sections of the valley. In this area there were formerly fifty water mills around Níjar of which 22 remain within a 2 km area between Huebro and Níjar.
Organisers offer this post-symposium trip for the interested participants.
The organisers reserve the right to cancel or amend the programme of
the trip according to unforeseen circumstances or in the event of the
number of applicants failing to reach minimum quotas.
Destination: Natural Park Cabo de Gata-Nijar.
If you are interested in joining the excursion, please indicate so when enrolling.