CEA Tech Liten

Based mainly in Grenoble and Chambéry (INES), Liten (Laboratoire d’Innovation pour les Technologies des Energies Nouvelles - Laboratory for Innovation in New Energy Technologies) is one of Europe’s most important centres for research into new energy technologies.

Liten’s mission is to support France’s efforts to diversify its energy mix, in particular to meet energy requirements in transport, housing and mobile electronics. It also seeks to make businesses more competitive. Liten works hand in hand with industry - with 400 research partnership contracts every year - and is one of the CEA laboratories with the most patents
(185 patents filed in 2011, 200 in 2012), managing a portfolio of 840 international patents.

 
Liten develops innovative technologies for renewable energy and energy efficiency: batteries, fuel cells, photovoltaic systems, solar thermal, biomass ... Its approach covers materials, processes and systems, seeking their optimised integration in the usage environment (housing, transport, industry ...).

Whatever the technology developed, its innovative approach focuses on mastering the materials and methods for their implementation. The successful track record of the women and men working at LITEN is rooted in its culture and values.

Thanks to its technological innovations, Liten contributes to the competitiveness of French companies and supports them in their efforts to conquer markets in countries with strong potential. A recent example: with the help of the Institute, a consortium of five French SMEs will build a turnkey plant for the production of photovoltaic modules in Kazakhstan. This contract for approximately € 150 million contributes to recovering France’s balance of trade.

In addition, it is working on material efficiency: how can we reduce the overall environmental footprint of processes and technologies using fewer raw materials, especially rare ones, while promoting their recycling?