12 months since the start of ABraytCSPfuture project, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and potential of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants through a revolutionary thermochemical storage system

Last December, CENER and the rest of project partners of ABraytCSPfuture gathered in the German city of Alzenau to commemorate the general meeting marking the first 12 months of the project. The facilities of the Fraunhofer IWKS research center served as the backdrop for several meetings where the significant progress achieved to date was analyzed, and various challenges facing the consortium in the upcoming months were discussed.

Funded by the Horizon Europe program and spearheaded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the project’s primary objective is the development of a more efficient CSP plant with increased storage capacity and minimal environmental impact. The concept involves harnessing solar radiation to heat air at high temperatures and generating electricity through a power cycle employing a turbine with higher efficiency than state-of-the-art plants. Additionally, the plant will utilize an innovative thermochemical storage system to capture solar energy even when there is no immediate demand for electricity. This system enables the storage of a substantial amount of energy in a compact and cost-effective manner, making it a potential solution not only for advancing solar thermal energy but also for promoting the integration of other renewable energies into the electrical grid.

Within the project, CENER plays a pivotal role in developing the computational models for this novel solar thermal plant concept—a key step in defining the optimal plant configuration and evaluating the techno-economic and environmental potential under various scenarios. Additionally, CENER leads the project’s dissemination and communication tasks.

Key highlights from the December general meeting include:

• Significant progress in synthesizing redox materials used in thermochemical storage was showcased, along with notable advancements in the fabrication of porous structures through which hot air circulates, demonstrating improved integrity and structural stability at the laboratory scale.
• The initial computational models are ready, allowing the assessment and optimization of the significant potential of the ABraytCSPfuture concept, applicable to both future solar thermal plants and experimental prototypes to be developed throughout the project.
• A comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact of the concept was presented, supporting the project’s goal of utilizing a thermochemical storage system with non-toxic, recyclable, and abundant materials.

The consortium partners include: DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT – UND RAUMFAHRT EV, ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS EL, UNIVERSITEIT TWENTE NL, CENER, FUNDACION TEKNIKER, FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV, OPRA Engineering Solutions B.V., KRAFTBLOCK GMBH, Landson Emission Technologies A/S DK, COBRA INSTALACIONES Y SERVICIOS S.A.

This project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101084569.