Project description
Make way for larger deployments of concentrated solar power in the EU
In light of the EU’s commitment to remove carbon emissions from the energy system, the market for concentrated solar power (CSP) is growing. With improvements in CSP technology advancing rapidly, an estimated 11 % of the EU's electricity may be produced by CSP by 2050. Countries with huge solar resources in the south, like Spain, could export CSP electricity to northern countries, such as Germany. The EU-funded SOLARSCO2OL project will present sCO2 cycles as a key enabling technology to facilitate a larger deployment of CSP in the EU. Led by an industry-oriented consortium, the project aims to be fully marketable by 2030.
Objective
According to JRC CSP platform, with an increased efficiency of component and price reduction, 11 % of EU electricity could be produced by CSP by 2050. In the EC energy strategy, CSP finds mention as a potential dispatchable RES thus increasing potential market/need for CSP if coupled with flexible, high performant and low CAPEX power conversion units. In this sense sCO2 has been worldwide studied for several years as enabling technology to promote CSP widespread. SOLARSCO2OL presents sCO2 cycles as key enabling technology to facilitate a larger deployment of CSP in EU panorama which is composed (also considering available surfaces and DNI) by medium temperature application (most of them Parabolic trough – Tmax = 550°c) and small/medium size plants enhancing their performances (efficiency, flexibility, yearly production) and reducing their LCOE. Considering that compared to organic and steam based Rankine, sCO2 cycles achieve high efficiencies over a wide temperature of range of heat sources with lower CAPEX, lower OPEX, no use of water as operating fluid (a plus for arid CSP plants area), smaller system footprint, higher operational flexibility, SOLARSCO2OL would like to demonstrate in Evora Molten Salt platform facility the first MW Scale EU sCO2 power block operating coupled with a MS CSP. SOLARSCO2OL will capitalize previous EU expertise (SCARABEUS, sCO2-flex, MUSTEC), bridging the gap with extra-EU countries R&D on these topics and studying different plant layouts also to enhance CSP plants flexibility to enable them to provide soon grid flexibility services. SOLARSCO2OL is driven by an industry oriented consortium which promotes the replication of this concept towards its complete marketability in 2030: this will be properly studied via scale up feasibility studies, environmental and social analysis encouraging business cases in EU (particularly in Italy and Spain as two of the most promising EU CSP countries) and Morocco thanks to MASEN.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
16129 Genova
Italy
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Participants (21)
100 44 Stockholm
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10002 Rabat
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20500 Mondragon
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16126 Genova
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57001 Thermi Thessaloniki
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14014 Cordoba
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20025 Legnano
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
20875 Burago Di Molgora
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Participation ended
1000 Bruxelles / Brussel
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104 43 Athens
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
48610 Urduliz Bizkaia
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
48610 BIZKAIA
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
48610 Urduliz
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50127 Firenze
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
50127 Firenze
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30851 Langenhagen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
41014 Sevilla
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20157 Milano
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7000 803 Evora
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51147 Koln
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41092 Sevilla
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.