Operating Agent:

National Representatives:

peter.heller(at)dlr.de

Wes Stein, Australia
Amina ElZalabany, Egypt
Domenico Rosetti, European Union
Alain Ferrière, France
Robert Pitz-Paal, Germany
Jakob Karni, Israel
Carlos Ramos, Mexico
Diego Martinez, Spain
Louis van Herden, South Africa
Aldo Steinfeld, Switzerland
Thomas R. Mancini, USA

Nature of Work & Objectives

The objectives of this task deal with the advancement of technical and economic viability of emerging solar thermal technologies and their validation with suitable tools by proper theoretical analyses and simulation codes as well as by experiments in special arrangements and adapted facilities. For this purpose, procedures and techniques are defined for the design, evaluation and use of the components and subsystems to optimize concentration, reception, transfer, storage and application of solar thermal energy. In essence, the goals are to investigate innovative multi-discipline advances needed for the further development of concentrating solar thermal systems. This also concerns, among others, process heat applications, the utilization of solar concentration for the development of improved materials, and the introduction of hybrid solar/fossil power plant concepts.

Task III is an ongoing R&D-oriented effort with clearly defined technical objectives, time schedule and expected results. Activities are cost-shared, task-shared (either through SolarPACES or among SolarPACES participants), and/or information-shared. Cost-sharing and task-sharing activities involve cooperative efforts of two or more participants where either costs of activities or responsibilities for activities, respectively, are mutually agreed upon and shared by the Participants. Information sharing is used for the exchange and discussion of results of projects carried out independently by Participants, but of interest to all.

Task III Objectives 2007-2011

In the context of the growth of commercial CSP project activities, further development and improvement of all CSP plant components is an obvious Task III challenge. The findings of studies like Ecostar on the impact of technological R&D efforts to reduce the total cost CSP plants should be borne in mind and refined to efficiently allocate R&D funds to the most productive topics.

Development of supporting tools becomes an even more important issue. Further development of storage technology remains an important goal to maximize the CSP advantage by offering guaranteed capacity and operability with continuously increasing solar shares, as well as to offset the growing cost of fossil fuels in hybrid operation. Addressing issues like water availability (cooling, mirror cleaning) and environmental concerns accompanying CSP plant implementation has become an important activity and a task for identifying low or no water consumption options has been initiated.

While our industrial partners competitively pursue project development and component R&D, the following activities appear to be appropriate for collaboration in support efforts and to move the technology forward:

• Guidelines for component performance measurements, which can help component suppliers and plant operators to qualify and validate component specifications.

• Prioritization of R&D activities with high impact on cost reduction. The findings of studies like Ecostar on the impact of different technological R&D efforts on total CSP plant cost reduction will be further refined. In addition, SolarPACES Task III will work as a catalyst to set up international R&D projects for best use of funds to follow the roadmap laid out.

• Reliability Evaluation of solar components and systems. SolarPACES Task III will develop methods and procedures in order to predict lifetime performance of solar plant components and systems. This also includes the development of proven methods for long-term stability testing (e.g., accelerated aging).

• Internationally standardized tools and methods for quality assurance of concentrator systems to assure the optical quality of concentrators during installation and operation, including fast measuring systems for concentrator quality control and component performance characterization. Harmonization of simulation tools used to be able to offer reliable product and performance data to investors.

• Comparison and evaluation of storage concepts Define a methodology to compare and assess different storage concepts and collect design and operation data during testing in various locations

• Power plant optimization for arid regions. Power plant optimization for arid regions.  Task III will assess efficient solar thermal power plant operating options at sites with low water availability based on experience with dry cooling in conventional power plant operation.

Task III activities reported in 2006 are summarized in Table. They are cost and/or task sharing, as marked in the right-hand column:

1.       Cost shared activities created and coordinated through SolarPACES (Label C in Table)

2.       Task shared activities created and coordinated through SolarPACES (Label T in Table)

3.       Task shared activities created and coordinated by SolarPACES member countries (eventually with participation of non-member countries) which are of interest to SolarPACES (Label M in Table)

4.       Activities of individual member countries, which are of interest to SolarPACES (Label I in Table)