Since 1995, Prof. Julian Blanco has been the head of the CIEMAT Solar Chemistry department of PSA, with staff and scientific installations both, in Almería and Madrid under his direct responsibility. During this period, he has successfully participated and coordinated many national and international projects, both public and private financed. Also, since 1995 he is also the Spanish National Representative in the Task II group of International Energy Agency – Solar PACES (Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems), with the objective of worldwide coordination and knowledge sharing of international solar research activities. Scientific production during the last years has been very intense. He is co-author of 4 books, 40 international publications and about 80 contributions to International Congress and Symposiums. Also, he has given multiple lectures in courses, conferences and seminars, including EURESCO conferences.

He has a Dipl. Industrial Engineer by Seville University (1984), Masters in Environmental Sciences by the International Open University (1994), PhD by the University of Almería (2002) and has 18 years of experience having worked at different industrial sectors. His professional activities started in 1985, as Production Manager in a machinery assembly factory in Gerona (Spain); in 1988 he joined the engineering department of the American multinational electrical company, AMP Inc. in Barcelona (Spanish branch). During 1989 he was also consultant of Spanish The Normalization Institution AENOR. Since 1990, he has worked at the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) in R&D projects linked to the solar and environmental areas. From 1990 to 1993, he was the project leader for the design and construction of the first pilot plant for experimentation in solar detoxification of industrial wastewaters existing in Europe. In 1993 he became the leader of PSA Solar Chemistry department, devoted to the development of the required technology for the utilization of the solar radiation in photochemical processes. He is married with two children and resides in Almeria, Spain.