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

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 …

How can Synhelion’s solar receiver achieve such high temperatures?

Synhelion’s solar receiver achieves a temperature of 1,500°C and higher. That’s unprecedented. Even the Gen3 particle-based solar receiver being pilot-scale tested now at Sandia – and the DLR CentRec receiver licensed to Heliogen – operate at the (relatively!) lower temperature of 1,000°C. One of Synhelion’s Read More …

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

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

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 Energies – A Novel Dual Receiver–Storage Design for Concentrating Solar Thermal Plants Using Beam-Down Optics

Abstract: Advanced power cycles—such as the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycle—have the potential to reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of concentrated solar thermal power (CST) plants by significantly boosting their overall solar-to-electric efficiency. To successfully integrate these cycles into CST plants, the industry Read More …

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

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 …

BA student devises algorithm to optimize Tower CSP preheating strategy

Much of the research covered at SolarPACES in concentrated solar power (CSP) is advanced by international post-docs and professors, but as the need for climate solutions advances, it is drawing the attention of younger researchers with STEM backgrounds in mathematics, physics and chemistry. During her 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 …

Brightsource Innovates a Solar-cured Coating for DEWA Tower CSP

Testing laboratories in Germany, France and Spain have confirmed the effectiveness of a new high-performance (97% absorbance) optical coating developed by Brightsource Energy, that can be “solar-cured” directly atop the receiver of tower CSP, like Brightsource is building as part of the ACWA Power 700 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 …

Sandia Labs R&D Helped SolarReserve hit 6 Cents CSP

Research was key to the low price record of 6 cents for dispatchable solar thermal energy at Port Augusta: SolarReserve According to Kevin Smith, the CEO of California-based SolarReserve; the company that is first to sell CSP at 6 cents/kWh, the record-low CSP price was largely 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 …