Heliostat concentration boosted by shape-shifting glass

By manipulating the shape of heliostats in real time, the optical efficiency of solar fields for tower CSP can be significantly increased, according to a paper presented at the New Mexico SolarPACES Conference: Heliostat with Automatic Shape Adjustment for High Concentration Throughout the Day, presented Read More …

Published at Energy Conversion and Management – Structural stabilization of granular Ca(OH)2 by coating with nanostructured additives for thermochemical cycling in a fixed reaction bed

Abstract: Thermochemical energy storage systems have a high potential to support a future energy supply based on renewables by providing comparably high storage capacities and option for long-term, cold and loss free storage, that allows a flexible utilization in several application areas. Due to its Read More …

Published – Technical, economic and environmental analysis of solar thermochemical production of drop-in fuels

Abstract: This study analyzes the technical performance, costs and life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the production of various fuels using air-captured water and CO2, and concentrated solar energy as the source of high-temperature process heat. The solar thermochemical fuel production pathway utilizes a ceria-based Read More …

Synhelion and CEMEX make further progress toward the world’s first fully solar-powered cement plant

Press Release: Aug 3 2023 Synhelion and Cemex announced today a significant milestone in their joint effort to develop fully solar-driven cement production: the scaling of their technology to industrially-viable levels. This includes the continuous production of clinker, the most energy-intensive part of cement manufacturing, Read More …

Sandia’s green ammonia research matters for a global shipping future

Green ammonia could be made sustainably using solar thermochemistry instead of the way it is made today in the fossil-fueled Haber-Bosch process, which taps fossil energy for the thermochemistry and the heat and the high pressure it requires, while emitting almost three tons of CO2 Read More …

Fraunhofer Chile to develop a solar concentration system to recycle aluminum

The project, which will be carried out by researchers from Fraunhofer Chile with support from the Crea y Valida Fund of the government agency CORFO, proposes to develop and validate a solar thermal concentration system, capable of reaching and maintaining temperatures that allow the smelting Read More …

How solar fuels work: thermochemistry

Solar fuels are made using thermochemistry driven by direct heat from the sun Solar thermochemistry is a process in which solar thermal energy drives chemical reactions to produce new compounds such as aviation fuel. Highly concentrated solar heat is reflected off thousands of mirrors in Read More …

Published at Solar Compass – Pathways to the use of concentrated solar heat for high temperature industrial processes

Abstract: New analysis is presented identifying strong potential for Concentrating Solar Thermal technology (CST) to be a cost-effective contributor to future sources of net zero-emissions, high temperature industrial process heat relative to other emerging options. Nevertheless, significant further development of the technology is needed to Read More …

Published at Applied Catalysis – Structured sulphur trioxide splitting catalytic systems and allothermally-heated reactors for the implementation of Sulphur-based thermochemical cycles via a centrifugal solar particle receiver

Abstract: Catalytic sulphur trioxide splitting is the highest-temperature (850–900 °C), endothermic step of several sulphur-based thermochemical cycles targeted to production of hydrogen or solid sulphur. The demonstrated capability of centrifugal particle solar receivers of heating particle streams at such temperatures, can allow for “allothermal” implementation of Read More …

Oxygen fix for high-temperature molten-salt degradation (and corrosion) at 620°C

The molten salt mixture deployed in today’s commercial CSP plants for thermal energy storage is liquid at 565°C and degrades at higher temperatures. Yet higher temperatures would increase thermal efficiency. So how can we develop a molten salt mix that can reach temperatures up to Read More …

Published at Applied Energy – High-temperature heat recovery from a solar reactor for the thermochemical redox splitting of H2O and CO2

Abstract: The solar splitting of H2O and CO2 via a thermochemical redox cycle offers a viable pathway for producing sustainable drop-in fuels for the transportation sectors. The key performance metric is its solar-to-fuel energy efficiency, which is strongly dependent on the ability to recover heat during Read More …

DOE seeks stakeholder R&D advice to advance solar fuels

Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) has issued a request for information (RFI) on the technology needs and cost targets for renewable fuels produced using solar-thermal energy and thermal Read More …

Published at Journal of Energy Storage – Self-assembly CuO surface decorated with NiAl2O4 for high-temperature thermochemical energy storage: Excellent performance and strong interaction mechanism

Abstract: High-temperature thermochemical energy storage materials with high energy density is the key technical support for the third generation concentrated solar power plants equipped with advanced energy storage system. CuO/Cu2O redox couple is one of the most promising systems due to its low cost and Read More …

Published at Solar Energy-Potential of solar thermochemical water-splitting cycles – A review

Abstract: Hydrogen fuel is a valuable tool to achieve the energy transition process, and according to the 2050 net zero emissions scenario its demand is expected to increase by more than 530 Mt H2. This article discusses several routes available to produce hydrogen fuel, with Read More …

1414 Degrees readies silicon for its high temperature thermal energy storage

  1414 Degrees has reached a major milestone in the development of its SiBox Demonstration Module. Construction is almost complete, meaning that the company is now confident enough to move forward with the installation of its thermal energy storage media (silicon) and is expecting to Read More …

Hydroxide molten salts tested in 20 MW thermal energy storage trial

20 MW Thermal Energy Storage Trials Hydroxide Molten Salt at the offshore energy island Bornholm Source: Recharge: Denmark’s ‘energy island’ of Bornholm is to host what is being claimed as “game changing” molten salts-based storage technology that its developer aims to deploy as a future Read More …

Synhelion produces first solar syngas in Wood’s industrial-scale reforming reactor

Press Release: Paving the way for solar fuels: Jülich, Germany, August 18, 2022 Synhelion has become the first company in the world to succeed in producing syngas on an industrial scale using only solar heat as an energy source. The Swiss solar fuel pioneer successfully Read More …

Rondo’s Thermal Storage to Decarbonize TITAN Cement

Press Release OAKLAND, Calif. – July 13, 2022 – TITAN Cement Group joins decarbonization and electrification investment leaders, Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Energy Impact Partners, in supporting Rondo Energy (“Rondo”) through its recent Series A financing round for the scale-up of its innovative “heat battery” technology, Read More …

New SolarPACES Technology Briefs for Very Hot Solar Industrial Processes

The SolarPACES Task IV:Solar Heat Integration in Industrial Processes  advances international research into industrial processes requiring heat at up to about 500°C. But as solar research in processes requiring heat at up to 1,500°C is maturing, Task IV has now prepared Technology Briefs outlining the Read More …

“Sun-to-Liquids” Solar Fuels R&D Wins Recognition at Cop26

The Sun-to-Liquids project has been developed by a consortium integrated by the leading European solar research laboratories and CSP industry leaders: ETH Zurich, DLR, Bauhaus Luftfahrt, IMDEA Energy, HyGear Technology & Services B.V and Abengoa. The aim is to produce renewable transportation fuels from water Read More …

These 25 Advanced CSP & CST Technologies to Share $33 Million US DOE Funding

The Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2021 Photovoltaics and Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Funding Program (SETO FY21 PV and CSP) funds research and development projects that advance PV and CSP to help eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector. On October 12, 2021, SETO announced that 40 projects were awarded $40 million. Twenty-five of those projects will Read More …

Current Award Winners

Current Award Winners

Winners of the 2022 SolarPACES Awards: SolarPACES Chair Gilles Flamant presented the award to Dr. Christoph Falter, on behalf of Bauhaus Luftfahrt, Dr. Johannes Grobbel, on behalf of DLR, Dr. Alon Lidor, on behalf of ETH Zurich and Dr. Charles-Alexis Asselineau, on behalf of IMDEA Read More …

MIT Proposes PV to Discharge Energy from 2,400°C Silicon Thermal Storage

The MIT team estimates their thermal “battery” designed for long duration – 100 hours or more – would be half the cost of today’s cheapest grid-scale energy storage; pumped hydro. A very intriguing idea for long-duration gigawatt-scale grid thermal energy storage proposes to store renewable Read More …

Making Solar Hydrogen with a Side of Carbon Nanotubes

Two teams of solar researchers have developed a novel solar reactor and thermochemical process for making solar hydrogen that can generate in addition carbon black and graphite as well as carbon nanotubes. Working over a six-year period, the teams first developed the specific solar reactor, Read More …

Capabilities of Each of the Solar Fuels Research Institutions

Capabilities of Each of the Solar Fuels Research Institutions

NATION; CITY INSTITUTE ITEM: 2020 STATUS DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATION CONTACT Australia; Canberra ANU High-Flux Solar Simulator 18×Xe lamps, focal heat 15 kWth with approx 10,000 suns. Lab is equipped with gas supplies. Professor Wojciech Lipinski Australia; Canberra ANU Little Dish 20 m² dish concentrator, with peak CR Read More …

How CSP Works: Tower, Trough, Fresnel or Dish

In solar thermal energy, all concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies use solar thermal energy from sunlight to make power. A solar field of mirrors concentrates the sun’s energy onto a receiver that traps the heat and stores it in thermal energy storage till needed to Read More …

World’s Largest Solar Reactor Will Split H2O into Hydrogen

On 28 November 2017, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR), together with international project partners, presented what is currently the largest solar-chemical installation for the production of hydrogen. In the HYDROSOL_Plant project, scientists and companies have jointly further developed the process of Read More …

Current Job Openings in CSP Research and on CSP Projects

September 2023 Manager, Solar Thermal Testing and Demonstration We are seeking a highly motivated manager to lead the Solar Thermal Testing & Demonstration Department within the Renewable Energy Technologies Group (Org 8920). The Group conducts fundamental and applied R&D to improve performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness Read More …

TASK IV: Solar Heat Integration in Industrial Processes

TASK IV: Solar Heat Integration in Industrial Processes

Operating Agent: Tobias Hirsch, DLR, Germany (tobias.hirsch@dlr.de) Subtasks and Working Groups Main activities are carried out in a joint task between SolarPACES and IEA Solar Heating & Cooling Program (SHC). The joint task has been started in April 2020 with task leaders Andreas Häberle on Read More …

TASK II: Solar Chemistry Research

TASK II: Solar Chemistry Research

Operating Agent: Dr Woei Saw, The University of Adelaide, woei.saw@adelaide.edu.au Nature of the work & Objectives Task II addresses the demonstration, scale-up, and market penetration of solar-driven thermochemical processes for the production of fuels (e.g. hydrogen, syngas, methanol, kerosene, diesel) and materials (e.g. metals – Read More …

About SolarPACES

About SolarPACES

SolarPACES (Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems) SolarPACES.org is the international network of researchers in concentrating solar power (CSP) refining a form of solar power that is dispatchable on demand because it includes thermal energy storage. The organization began in 1977 and today is increasingly Read More …