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Abstract: Compact hybrid photovoltaic-concentrating solar thermal (PV-CST) systems have emerged as a promising strategy to enhance solar energy utilization by simultaneously delivering electricity and heat. Despite their potential, their assessment remains challenging due to the lack of consistent metrics capable of capturing the relative value of these distinct energy outputs. To address this gap, we …

Continue reading “Published at Applied Energy – The benefits of concentrating solar hybrid systems: A unified benchmarking framework”

Abstract: Decarbonising aviation, maritime transport, and heavy industry requires carbon-neutral liquid fuels producible at scale from renewable energy and atmospheric carbon dioxide without reliance on fossil resources. Although solar thermochemical redox cycles and direct air capture are individually promising for renewable fuel synthesis and atmospheric carbon removal, system-level performance consequences of different integration strategies within …

Continue reading “Published at Industrial Crops and Products – Integrated direct air capture and solar redox cycles for carbon-neutral methanol production”

Abstract: Accurate prediction of receiver thermal power in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants is crucial for maintaining efficient coordination between power plants and the grid, and for facilitating optimal energy storage and generation planning. However, existing solar prediction models often treat weather conditions as discrete categorical variables, assigning fixed weather types to each time period, …

Continue reading “Published at Solar Energy – A clustering-based contrastive ensemble LSTM model for receiver thermal power prediction in CSP plants”

Abstract: Central tower Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology is a renewable electricity generation method that uses heliostats to direct solar thermal radiation toward a central receiver. While it is considered a promising technology it still faces several challenges. One key issue is the implementation of a control strategy that can effectively manage the short-term variability …

Continue reading “Published at Energy Conversion and Management – Performance analysis of a predictive control strategy for a simulated central tower CSP plant using real-time solar radiation measurements”

Abstract: Flow-Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is an emerging concern in high-temperature thermal systems employing molten solar salts (60 wt% NaNO3, 40 wt% KNO3). Despite their extensive use in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, the behaviour of FAC in these media remains largely unexplored. This review provides the first integrated synthesis of hydrodynamic-driven corrosion in molten nitrate salts, …

Continue reading “Published at Solar Energy – Short overview of flow-accelerated corrosion in CSP systems using molten nitrate salts: Mechanisms, challenges and outlook”

Abstract: This study evaluates the techno-economic performance of hybrid PV–CSP power plants using high-temperature particle receivers and compares them directly with molten salt-based alternatives, with all systems integrated into supercritical CO2 (sCO2) Brayton power blocks. A unified simulation and optimization framework is applied to quantify the cost and performance potential of particle-based CSP when combined …

Continue reading “Published at Solar Energy – Techno-economic comparative analysis of hybrid PV-CSP systems: particle vs. molten salt based layouts integrated with sCO2 power blocks”