SOlarGrid - thermodynamic and photovoltaic solar systems with Storage for co-generation and network flexibility
Notice for the submission of Industrial Research and Experimental Development Projects in the 12 Specialisation Areas identified by the 2015-2020 National Research Programme - 2014-2020 PON R&I and FSC Funds
Beneficiaries: Magaldi Power Spa, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (Lead partner), ENI MEDITERRANEAN IDROCARBURI S.P.A., Eni S.p.A., Horizon Srl, IDEA s.r.l., Politecnico di MILANO, University of FLORENCE, University of PALERMO, University of SIENA
Time frame of the project: 30 months - started on 1 March 2020
The SOLARGRID project provides an innovative and improved solution, in terms of energy performance and economic competitiveness, for components and systems related to Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) and Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV) technologies for electrical and thermal power generation.
It involves a partnership of ten organizations, including universities, research centres and industry. In particular, the CSP and CPV technologies and systems, already developed by the proposing subjects, will be upgraded through research activities for the development and testing of advanced solutions with respect to the technical/scientific standard of reference, in order to increase their technical/economic competitiveness and market access.
Hybrid solutions are also envisaged, with the integration of distributed energy storage systems, which see the combination of CSP and CPV technologies with polygeneration systems powered by conventional and non-conventional energy carriers and connected to the grid, oriented to increase the usability of concentrated solar power systems in the context of distributed generation, while increasing the flexibility of electricity grids as well, including through the supply of ancillary services.
The ultimate goal of the project is to develop, implement and test advanced technologies and solutions for concentrated solar power systems of the CSP and CPV type, in terms of economics and energy yield as well.
In addition, the project aims to identify and apply optimized plant configurations for hybrid distributed polygeneration, i.e. based on the combined use of concentrated solar power systems and polygeneration systems powered by conventional and non-conventional energy vectors, with energy storage, for the cogeneration of electricity and heat, in order to increase economic competitiveness, improve social acceptability and eco-efficiency, as well as offer ancillary services to help increase the flexibility of electricity grids according to the Smart Grid concept.
WEBINAR
The role of concentrated solar thermal in the national energy mix:
evolutions and systems developed within the SOLARGRID project
Last July, the most influential Italian sector players attended the webinar "The role of concentrated solar power in the national energy mix - evolutions and systems developed within the SOLARGRID project" promoted by AEIT with the contribution of ENEA.
The event recording and the papers presented by the distinguished speakers are now available online at this link.
Among the available material, you will find an interesting paper by Antonio Scafuri (Project Engineer of Magaldi Power) on "Automation of hybrid solar systems with fluidized bed thermal storage, using STEM technology - Solar Thermo Electric Magaldi". It is a useful introduction to MAGALDI STEM Technologies - CST Concentrated Solar Thermal and the Solar charge system Magaldi Heliostat Control – MHC.
