Solar Energy Technologies Office
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) issued a request for information (RFI) to better understand technology development needs and commercialization opportunities for receivers and reactors used in concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) plants for electricity generation and concentrating solar-thermal (CST) plants for solar industrial process heat (IPH) generation.
This RFI seeks information on solar receivers and solar reactors that will enable new applications for CSP and CST systems, including higher temperature power towers for high-efficiency power cycles, thermochemical production of fuels and chemicals, or other solar IPH applications. Beyond power applications, the use of CST for low and high temperature process heat applications is another area of interest in this RFI.
SETO seeks feedback from members of the renewable energy industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other relevant organizations on three categories:
Category A: High temperature receivers for CSP applications (≥650⁰C exit)
Category B: Low temperature (≤300⁰C) CST receivers for IPH applications
Category C: High temperature (≥400⁰C) CST receivers and reactors for IPH applications
Download the RFI and submit responses by February 20 at 5 p.m. ET.
Save the Date: Virtual Workshop on Receivers and Reactors
SETO is hosting a virtual workshop on solar receivers and reactors for CSP and solar-thermal decarbonization on February 15 from 12-5 p.m. ET. The workshop will feature invited speakers from industry, national labs, and universities, and provide an opportunity to discuss the next steps in research and development of solar receivers and reactors.
Stay tuned for a draft agenda and other details in the coming days.
Reminder: Open RFI on Supercritical Carbon Dioxide-Based Turbomachinery for CSP
There is still time to share your thoughts on the opportunities to deploy supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) based turbomachinery for CSP. SETO seeks information on gaps in technology development to improve equipment performance and reliability, and opportunities and challenges for power generation and energy storage applications.
Download the RFI and respond by January 31 at 5 p.m. ET.
Learn more about SETO’s CSP research.
