Digital tools for CSP and solar thermal plants

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to some of the following expected outcomes:

• Improved performance of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants.
• Improved performance of concentrated and/or non-concentrated solar thermal heat and/or cold plants.
• Reduced operation and maintenance costs of CSP plants.
• Reduced operation and maintenance costs of concentrated and/or non-concentrated solar thermal heat and/or cold plants.
• Reinforced role of CSP plants in the power market.
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
• Achievement of the CSP targets of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan.

Scope:

Support will be given to the innovative application of digital tools (or to the application of innovative digital tools, or both) in the following areas: (i) CSP and/or (ii) solar thermal heat and/or cold. Any type of application of the digital tools is in the scope (e.g., component control, performance measurement, self-diagnostic, ancillary services to the power system, digital twins, etc.). Artificial intelligence techniques are also in the scope.

Proposals are expected to bring and demonstrate measurable benefits of the proposed digital tools in terms of operation, maintenance, and flexibility of the plant.

Where applicable, the digital tools should support night baseload generation from thermal energy storage.

Where applicable, the demonstration should span a continuous interval of at least six months covering all possible incidence angles of the direct solar radiation.