Project description
A spherical concentrator mosaic slashes concentrated solar power costs
Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems focus the sun’s rays using mirrors or lenses. Typically, they have expensive and complex moving parts to control mobile trackers that enable mirrors to track the sun as it moves across the sky. These reflect and focus light onto a single stationary receiver at a significant distance. The EU-funded MOSAIC project has developed an innovative modular CSP plant based on a fixed mosaic of spherical concentrators. This approach aims at minimising both the number of moving parts and distances from concentrator to receiver, reducing capital costs and significantly increasing efficiency and reliability. It could bring the cost of CSP electricity below EUR 0.10/kWh exceeding the European Commission’s goals for CSP.
Objective
MOSAIC project aims to exceed the goal of the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan - European Commission of producing CSP electricity at a cost below 0.10 €/kWh. To exceed this goal a commercial CSP plant of > 1GW of nominal capacity is foreseen, in which high nominal capacity of CSP plant is reached in a modular way where each MOSAIC module delivers thermal energy to linked thermal energy storage systems that supply their energy to a high capacity power block (>1GW). This modular configuration guarantees reliability, flexibility and dispatchability according to the needs of the electrical grid while reduces significantly the specific cost of the Power block (€/MW installed).
Each MOSAIC module consists of an innovative fixed spherical mirror concentrator arranged in a semi-Fresnel manner and an actuated receiver based on a low cost closed loop cable tracking system. This configuration reduces the moving parts of the whole system decreasing solar field cost while keeping high concentration ratios. This will assure high working temperatures thus high cycle efficiencies and a cost effective use of thermal storage systems.
Energy from the sun is collected, concentrated and transferred to the heat transfer fluid at module level where, due to the modular concept, distances from the solar concentrator to the receiver are much shorter that those typical from solar tower technologies. As a result, the efficiency of energy collection is maximized, atmospherical attenuation is minimized and accuracy requirements can be relaxed.
All these technical benefits contribute to a much lower capital cost of the whole system while keeping efficiency and reliability. This has consequently a strong impact in the final cost of electricity production. First figures show LCOE estimated values below 0.10€/kWh for CSP power plants of 100 MW nominal power based in MOSAIC concept, additional cost reductions are expected for greater capacities (>1GW) exceeding the goal of the SET plan
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electrical engineering power engineering electric power generation
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering thermodynamic engineering heat engineering
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy solar energy concentrated solar power
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.3.3. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3.3.2. - Low-cost, low-carbon energy supply
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
RIA - Research and Innovation action
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-LCE-2016-2017
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
20600 Eibar Guipuzcoa
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.