IT, together with other academic and industrial partners, has been involved in the 6 million Euros European project Biostirling-4SKA, developing a solar power generation system that will be scaled to provide power to the Square Kilometre Array - SKA, which will be the world´s largest radio-telescope.

To be built in remote areas of South Africa and Australia, SKA´s location in latitudes with high solar irradiance makes solar-energy an option that may contribute to a (near) zero carbon footprint for the next generation of telescopes.

The dish Stirling Systems have proven to be the most efficient of any solar power generation system, a kind of glass satellite dishes that convert direct solar radiation into electric energy.

During the last months of 2016, a SKA receiver prototype and the Biostirling-4SKA power system have been tested in Herdade da Contenda, in Moura, Alentejo. Moura was chosen as a test site for being one of the only places in Europe with climate and geographical conditions similar to those in South Africa and Australia. According to Domingos Barbosa, from IT in Aveiro, this “Will be the first hybrid solar system in Portugal (with concentration), and the first radio astronomical system with green multibeam capacity worldwide