Concentrated Solar Power via a Reciprocating Piston Engine

Concentrated Solar Power via a Reciprocating Piston Engine has the potential for reaching very high solar-to-electricity efficiencies. In particular, it enables to take advantage of the very high top temperatures (>2000°C) that can be reached with today’s solar concentration systems within a solar-thermal power cycle. The technology can be very cost effective: with similar investment costs compared to the solar Brayton/Rankine-based systems, it is expected to reach significantly higher solar-to-electricity efficiencies. The engine is suitable for decentralized medium-scale power plants as well as centralized large-scale plants in regions with high solar density and low cloud coverage. Typical electrical power output of one engine unit is in the range of 0.1 - 1 MW. In order to further increase the thermal efficiency of the method it can be combined with a bottoming steam power cycle and take advantage of its high off-gas temperatures, as secondary energy source. Based on the very high solar-to-electricity efficiency it is expected to become competitive with fossil fuel-based electricity in the near future.

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