published research

Published at Energy Conversion and Management – Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a multi-energy complementary distributed CCHP system coupled with solar thermochemistry and active energy storage regulation process

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Abstract: The combination of distributed energy systems (DES) and solar energy is considered a vital measure to save the usage of fossil energy. A new distributed combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system integrated with solar thermochemistry (STC) and energy storage (ES) units is proposed. Read More …

Published at Chemical Engineering Journal – Green ammonia to Hydrogen: Reduction and oxidation catalytic processes

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Abstract: Green ammonia, produced at ambient conditions, has received significant attention as a carrier of hydrogen for energy storage and transport. Reduction and oxidation catalytic decomposition of ammonia at atmospheric pressure and low temperatures suggests remarkable achievements over thermochemical processes requiring elevated pressures and temperatures. Read More …

Published at Next Energy – Direct solar-driven thermochemical CO2-to-fuel conversion with efficiency over 39 % employing hierarchical triply periodic minimal surfaces biomimetic foam reactors

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Abstract: Solar-driven CO2 reforming of CH4 is considered a promising approach for achieving CO2 emission reduction and clean energy utilization simultaneously. However, reactors suffer from uneven temperature distribution and severe carbon deposition, leading to low solar-to-fuel efficiency. This study introduces a novel strategy for highly Read More …

Published at Crystals – Manufacturing and Thermal Shock Resistance of 3D-Printed Porous Black Zirconia for Concentrated Solar Applications

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Abstract: A novel approach for manufacturing porous materials, foreseen as solar receivers for concentrated sun radiation, used in the power tower technology is presented. In such applications, materials are subjected to steep thermal gradients and thousands of cycles. Yet, materials consisting of honeycombs and ceramic Read More …

Published at Renewable Energy – Flow and heat transfer analysis of a gas–particle fluidized dense suspension in a tube for CSP applications

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Abstract: This work presents a numerical study of the flow of particles in a gas–particle fluidized dense suspension for CSP applications using the Multi-Phase Particle in Cell (MP-PIC) method, implemented in CPFD-Barracuda software. The study covers two different numerical simulations. The first is a cold Read More …

Published at Solar Energy – Techno-economic assessment of a numbering-up approach for a 100 MWe third generation sodium-salt CSP system

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Abstract: This work presents the design and techno-economic analysis of a 100 MWe concentrated solar power (CSP) system using a supercritical CO2 power block with 700 °C input temperature. Aiming to leverage the relatively higher efficiency of small heliostat fields and potential multi-build discounts, a Read More …

Published at Energy Conversion and Management – Selection of iron-based oxygen carriers for two-step solar thermochemical splitting of carbon dioxide

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Abstract: The two-step solar thermochemical cycle is a prospective clean energy technology that enables the direct splitting of water and carbon dioxide for solar fuel production. However, immature oxygen carriers fundamentally restrict the solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency and thus prevent this technology from immediate industrial uptake. 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

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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

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Fig. 5. Effect of the location on the minimum fuel selling price (€2020) with cost-built up for one GJ of jet fuel produced via the solar thermochemical pathway. 25 years lifetime.

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 …

Published at Applied Energy – Co-optimisation of the heliostat field and receiver for concentrated solar power plants

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Abstract: In a concentrated solar power (CSP) tower plant, it is essential to understand the performance of the subsystem formed by the heliostat field and the receiver, operated with an optimal aiming strategy that guarantees the safety and lifetime of the receiver while maximising performance. Read More …

Published at Energy – Concentrating efficiency loss of heliostat with multiple sub-mirrors under wind loads

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Abstract: As an important design load for heliostat, wind load crucially affects the safety and concentrating performance. Herein, an evaluation method is proposed to study the impacts of wind loads on concentrating efficiency loss of the heliostat with multiple sub-mirrors. In particular, the computation method Read More …

Published at Applied Energy – Market profitability of CSP-biomass hybrid power plants: Towards a firm supply of renewable energy

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Abstract: CSP-biomass hybrid power plants are promising options for displacing electricity from flexible fossil systems and increasing the share of dispatchable renewable energy in power grids. However, they are investment-intensive technologies whose competitiveness in electricity markets is still uncertain. This paper explores for the first Read More …

Published at Chemical Engineering – Calcium-based composites directly irradiated by solar spectrum for thermochemical energy storage

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Abstract The optical absorptance of calcium-based composites used in direct solar-driven calcium-looping thermochemical energy storage systems should be improved. Experimental data obtained by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) cannot adequately describe the realistic performance of such calcium-based composites. In this work, calcium-based composites filled in a fixed Read More …

Published at Energy Conversion and Management – Efficient distributed concentrating solar power system with ammonia-based chemical heat pump

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Abstract This paper proposed a distributed concentrating solar power system coupled with an ammonia-based chemical heat pump. The proposed system is able to upgrade the solar thermal energy absorbed from 450 °C to 650 °C. To design a concentrated solar module, consisting of a Linear Read More …

Published at Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells – Innovative lifetime testing protocol for high-temperature secondary reflector materials used in concentrated solar thermal energies

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Abstract: The actual energy market based on fossil fuels is the responsible of more than half of the greenhouse gases generated worldwide. Renewable energies play a fundamental role to lead the transformation towards an energy market less damaging for the environment. Concentrated solar thermal (CST) Read More …

Published at Solar Energy – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the planning, operation and maintenance of concentrating solar thermal systems: A review

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Abstract: The technological advancements achieved in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have positioned this technology as a key enabling technology for revolutionizing the entire energy industry by facilitating diverse operations and tasks that would otherwise be either impossible to carry out, costly, labour Read More …

Published at Solar Energy – Simplified analytical model to describe wind loads and wind-induced tracking deviations of heliostats

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Abstract: Wind-induced tracking deviations of heliostats can be analyzed through numerical simulations or experimental studies on a full-scale heliostat. However, these methods are relatively costly and often, simpler estimations are necessary and sufficient. One simpler approach is to use an analytical model that describes the wind-induced tracking Read More …

Published at Energy – Performance analysis of a light uniform device for the solar receiver or reactor

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Abstract: Solar receivers and reactors are critical equipment to convert high-flux solar energy into thermal and chemical energy. However, the high flux solar energy is highly uneven and may shorten the solar receiver and reactor life due to considerable fatigue strain. This paper proposes a Read More …

Published at the Journal of Energy Storage – A synthesis parameter of molten salt nanofluids for solar thermal energy storage applications

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Abstract: Nanoparticle dispersions at a minute concentration in salt mixtures have recently been reported to significantly increase their specific heat capacity. However, there is a discrepancy between experimental results reported for the same kind of molten salt-nanoparticle mixtures by different research groups. From our literature Read More …

Published at Energies – Hybrid System of Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal Technologies for Industrial Process Heat

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Abstract: Process heating is the activity with the most energy consumption in the industrial sector. Solar heating (SH) systems are a promising alternative to provide renewable thermal energy to industrial processes. However, factors such as high investment costs and area limitations in industrial facilities hinder Read More …

Published at Thermal Science and Engineering Progress – Design and steady-state simulation of a CSP-ORC power plant using an open-source co-simulation framework combining SAM and DWSIM:

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Abstract: Numerical modeling and simulation are necessary to design and optimize processes that include concentrating solar power (CSP) and industrial chemical processes; however, no co-simulation environment have been used or suggested in the literature for such plants. This paper suggests a promising approach to build Read More …

Published at Energies – Experimental Investigation on the Vector Characteristics of Concentrated Solar Radiation Flux Map:

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Abstract: It is difficult to measure the concentrated solar radiation flux (CSRF) inside a cavity receiver directly due to the complex geometry of cavity receivers. At present, most reports measure the CSRF at the aperture plane (generally coinciding with the focal plane of solar concentrators) Read More …

Published at the Journal of Energy Storage – Nanoparticle-based anticorrosion coatings for molten salts applications:

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  Abstract: High-temperature molten salt systems are employed in a wide variety of industrial applications, linked to energy production and storage, such as concentrated solar power, waste heat recovery, storage plants, fuel cells nuclear, etc. The reactivity of these salts is one of the main Read More …

Published at Applied Thermal Engineering – Hierarchical Control of Multi-Generation Solar Thermal Power Plant:

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Abstract: This paper reports on the development of a hierarchical control strategy for a multi-generation solar plant. The plant includes a linear Fresnel reflector, an organic Rankine cycle, an absorption chiller, a thermal storage tank, circulation pumps, and valves. The hierarchical control strategy consists of Read More …

Computational fluid dynamics study of hydrogen production using concentrated solar radiation as a heat source

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Computational fluid dynamics study of hydrogen production using concentrated solar radiation as a heat source

Published in the January Issue of Energy Conversion and Management Abstract The purpose of this paper is to study the performance of the steam methane reformer (SMR) using solar energy as a heat source using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. An analysis of the Read More …

Submit Particle-CSP Papers for Solar Energy’s Special Issue

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Particle-based Solar Energy Capture and Storage for Concentrated Solar Power Particle-based solar thermal energy storage (TES) coupled to concentrated solar power (CSP) is an attractive pathway towards operating at elevated temperatures while extending electricity production beyond diurnal periods of on-sun operation. Operation at elevated temperatures Read More …

Submit Papers on Solar Thermochemical Innovations to “Energies” Special Issue by Sept 1

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The scientific journal ‘Energies’ is arranging a Special Issue on ‘Solar Thermochemical Production of Material Commodities’ with a deadline for submissions on 1 September, 2021. We, as guest editors, are pleased to invite you to submit high-quality unpublished contributions on recent advances in applications of Read More …

“Solar Power Around the Clock” report released by the German Association for Concentrated Solar Power (DCSP)

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Since 2013, the German Association for Concentrated Solar Power has been committed to the generation and use of electricity, heat and fuels from concentrated solar technologies. Its members cover the entire CSP value chain. This ranges from project development and planning, engineering services, component supply Read More …

Could a Perovskite make Cheaper Solar Hydrogen?

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A perovskite may be more cost-effective than ceria for solar-driven thermochemical hydrogen production, a new paper suggests. One perovskite formulation that works at a slightly lower temperature than ceria is explored by Xin Qian in the paper Outstanding Properties and Performance of CaTi0.5Mn0.5O3–d for Solar-Driven 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 …

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SolarPACES – International research into Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) and Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) Energy to supply heat directly for solar thermochemistry and industrial heat 

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 …