Thesis | LES

Scientific publications Thesis Technical reports Presentations Projects Conferences

Finished PhD thesis

Improving the quasi-dynamic test method for low-temperature solar thermal collectors. J. M. Rodríguez-Muñoz. Doctoral Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [English] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: I. Bove, R. Alonso-Suárez.
Period: 2021 – 2025.
Modeling of Solar Irradiance on the Earth’s Surface: Physical and Hybrid Models Using Satellite Information on the Pampa Húmeda. A. Laguarda. Doctoral Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: G. Abal, R. Alonso-Suárez.
Period: 2017 – 2021.
Estimation of the Solar Resource in Uruguay Through Satellite Images. R. Alonso-Suárez. Doctoral Thesis in Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: G. Abal, P. Musé.
Period: 2012 – 2017.

Finished Master’s thesis

Solar spectral irradiance modelling and retrieval of Aerosol Optical Depth from ground measurements. P. Russo. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [English] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: A. Laguarda, G. Abal.
Period: 2021 – 2026.
Dynamic analysis of transient processes in solar collectors. R. Guido. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: P. Galione, J.M. Rodríguez-Muñoz.
Period: 2023 – 2025.
Statistical and semi-empirical modeling for the estimation of horizontal solar radiation using Machine Learning techniques and satellite images. P. Iturbide. Master’s Thesis in Data Intelligence Oriented to Big Data, Faculty of Computing, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP, Argentina). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, F. Ronchetti (UNLP, Argentina).
Period: 2022 – 2025.
Numerical modeling of solar chimneys: Characterization of boundary layers in solar chimneys from numerical simulations with CFD techniques. D. Croza. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: P. Galione, G. Usera (IMFIA/FING).
Period: 2021 – 2024.
Study of hot water generation for industrial use with Parabolic Solar Concentration. J. Roca. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: I. Bove, P. Galione.
Period: 2015 – 2024.
Cooling through systems driven by solar thermal energy. R. Lavagna. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: I. Bove.
Period: 2019 – 2023.
Evaluation of different models to estimate the direct solar normal irradiance (DNI) for the Hermosillo Solar Platform. M. Rendon. Master’s Thesis in Engineering Science, Engineering Division, Universidad de Sonora (UNISON, México). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, R. Cabanillas (UNISON, Mexico).
Period: 2021 – 2023.
Forecasting of Solar Irradiation in Uruguay Using Numerical Atmospheric Models. V. Teixeira-Branco. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, G. Cazes (IMFIA/FING).
Period: 2019 – 2023.
Solar Irradiation Forecast Using Satellite Images and Optical Flow Techniques. D. Aicardi-Vila. Master’s Thesis in Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisor: R. Alonso-Suárez.
Period: 2019 – 2023.
Modeling of infiltration and natural ventilation in building energy simulations. J. Romero. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: P. Galione, F. Favre (IIMPI/FING).
Period: 2019 – 2023.
Tilted plane solar irradiance modeling: impact of the direct-diffuse separation in the transposition models. I. Piccioli. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la Républica (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisor: G. Abal.
Period: 2018 – 2022.
Design optimization of solar power plants in Uruguay. R. Bruno. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: C. Risso (INCO/FING), R. Alonso-Suárez.
Period: 2018 – 2022.
Operating Strategies for a Solar Energy Storage Wall for Temperate Climates. G. Vitale. Master’s Thesis in Renewable Energy, National Institute of Unconventional Energies (INENCO), Universidad Nacional de Salta (Argentina). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: S. Flores-Larsen (INENCO), I. Bove.
Period: 2017 – 2022.
Evaluation of Concentrating Solar Power technologies for their application in Uruguay. A. Ghazarián. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: P. Galione, P. Curto.
Period: 2019 – 2021.
Thermal analysis and modeling of MEVIR households. L. Garín. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: I. Bove, P. Galione.
Period: 2019 – 2021.
Efficiency Test of Flat-plate Solar Thermal Collectors. J. M. Rodríguez-Muñoz. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: I. Bove, R. Alonso-Suárez.
Period: 2019 – 2021.
Solar Energy Forecast From Satellite Images. G. Giacosa. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisor: R. Alonso-Suárez.
Period: 2018 – 2020.
Analysis of the Consumption and Generation of Domestic Hot Water in the Uruguayan Residential Sector. L. Saldamando. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: I. Bove, E. Elenter (FING).
Period: 2016 – 2018.
Solar Chimney with Heat Storage for Passive Thermal Conditioning of Buildings. J. P. Kosut. Master’s Thesis in Mechanical Engineering (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Brazil) – Inter-institutional Master’s Degree UFRGS-Udelar. [Thesis] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: F. H. Ramos França (UFRGS), P. Galione.
Period: 2015 – 2017.

Final Degree Projects / Defended Degree Thesis

Probabilistic prediction of solar radiation from time series. V. Pereira. Final Project of the Graduate Program in Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering / North-West Regional Center, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, M. González (DEMEL, CENUR-LN).
Period: 2024 – 2025.
Design and thermo-economic evaluation of a parabolic trough concentrator for medium-temperature industrial applications. E. Cardozo Montes de Oca, G. López, G. Morales. Final Graduate Project in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Production, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: J.M. Rodríguez-Muñoz, S. Correa (IIMPI).
Period: 2024 – 2025.
Time series analysis of solar resource and generation at the La Jacinta solar photovoltaic plant. S. Rehermann. Final Project of the Renewable Energies Technologist Career, ITR Center-South, UTEC. [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, V. Teixeira-Branco (LSU, UTEC).
Period: 2024.
Automated cloud top height classification based on GOES 16 satellite imagery and its application to the evaluation of numerical cloudiness predictions. E. Marchesoni. Special Project of the Graduate Program in Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science, Udelar. [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, G. Cazes (IMFIA).
Period: 2023 – 2024.
Design of a Drainback system for installation in low-temperature solar collectors. L. Foderé, F. Garchitorena, I. Sarazola. Final Graduate Project in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Production, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [Spanish] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: P. Galione, R. Pienika (IMFIA).
Period: 2023 – 2024.
DeepCloud: Intra-day Satellite Prediction of Cloudiness Using Deep Learning Strategies. F. Mozo, A. Herrara, I. Camiruaga. Final Graduate Project in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). [English] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, A. Castro (INCO, FING), F. Marchesoni (extern).
Period in: 2021 – 2022.
Estimation of Solar Irradiation Using Satellite Images and Ground Measurements: a Case Study of the Brazil–Uruguay Border. V. Teixeira-Branco. Degree thesis in Renewable Energy Engineering, Universidad Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA, Brazil). Final version, 2016. [Portuguese] [Slides] [Defense]
Advisors: A. Schafer (UNIPAMPA), R. Alonso-Suárez.
Period: 2015 – 2016.

Postgraduate thesis in final stage

Characterization of Photosynthetically Active Solar Radiation (PAR) in the Pampa Húmeda Region. Msc. Prof. J. L. Di Laccio. Doctoral Thesis in Physics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, G. Abal.
Started in: 2019.
Thermal conditioning with sheep wool in architectural structures. Arch. C. Gonzalvez. Master’s Thesis in Construction of Architectural Works, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisors: M. Hongn, G. Vitale.
Started: 2023.
Simulation of the Environmental Variables of Greenhouses in Uruguay. Arch. G. Ibarburu. Master’s Thesis in Engineering Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisors: I. Bove, G. Abal.
Started in: 2020.

Postgraduate thesis in process

Intra-hour probabilistic forecasting of solar irradiance integrating satellite and all-sky camera images. Lic. V. Pereira. Master’s Thesis in Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisor: R. Alonso-Suárez, M. González (DEMEL/CENUR-LN).
Started in: 2026.
Satellite estimation of photosynthetically active radiation over Uruguay from GOES-East images and its application to agro-environmental monitoring. Lic. E. Marchesoni. Master’s Thesis in Physics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisor: A. Laguarda.
Started in: 2026.
Development of a CIM-type satellite model of surface solar irradiance for the provinces of Salta and Jujuy. Lic. N. Rivera. Doctoral Thesis in Science, National Institute of Unconventional Energies (INENCO), Universidad Nacional de Salta (Argentina).
Advisor: A. Laguarda, G. Salazar (INENCO, UNSa).
Started in: 2025.
Satellite estimation of solar irradiance from physical modeling of radiative transfer in the atmosphere under cloudy conditions. Mag. Lic. I. Piccioli. Doctoral Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisor: A. Laguarda, R. Alonso-Suárez.
Started in: 2024.
Prediction of soil temperature at different depths from satellite images and physical soil models. Ing. Agr. M. Francia. Doctoral Thesis in Physics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisor: R. Alonso-Suárez, L. Amy (GD-Física, FAGRO).
Started in: 2024.
Probabilistic short-term forecasting of the solar resource from numerical weather prediction models. Msc. Ing. V. Teixeira-Branco. Doctoral Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisor: R. Alonso-Suárez, A. Gutiérrez (IMFIA/FING).
Started in: 2024.
Temporal dowscaling of satellite estimation of solar irradiance and PV generation. Msc. Ing. J. Furtado de Medeiros. Doctoral Thesis in Energy and Nuclear Technologies, Renewable Energies Center, Universidad Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE, Brasil).
Advisor: O. Vilela, R. Alonso-Suárez.
Started in: 2023.
Solar walls and passive solar heating strategies for low-income housing in Uruguay. Msc. Prof. G. Vitale. Doctoral Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisor: I. Bove.
Started in: 2023.
Atlas of Solar Radiation in the State of Sonora. Msc. Eng. A. S. Altamirano-Carranza. Doctoral Thesis in Engineering Science, University of Sonora (UNISON, Mexico).
Advisors: R. Cabanillas (UNISON), R. Alonso-Suárez.
Started in: 2020.
Applications of machine learning models for artificial time series generation of meteorological data. Ing. J. Alsó. Master’s Thesis in Data Science, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisors: H. Cancela, R. Alonso-Suárez.
Started in: 2024.
Digital twins applied to a solar collector test bench. Eng. F. Severo. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisors: I. Bove, J. Baliosian.
Started in: 2023.
Phase change materials for energy storage in thermal conditioning of buildings. Eng. J. Bentancur. Master’s Thesis in Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisors: P. Galione, I. Bove.
Started in: 2023.

Final Degree Projects / Degree Thesis in process

Modeling and evaluation of the impact of cloudiness on photovoltaic solar plants. B. Espino. Final Graduate Project in Electrical Engineering Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
Advisors: A. Laguarda, P. Toscano (IIE, FING).
Started in: 2025.
Comparison of solar park performance in northwestern Uruguay based on operational data. S. Rehermann. Final Project of the Renewable Energies Engineering Career, ITR Center-South, UTEC.
Advisors: R. Alonso-Suárez, V. Teixeira-Branco (LSU, UTEC).
Started in: 2025.