Concentrating solar thermal (CST) technology offers the possibility of producing heat, power, and even chemicals, using energy from the sun, avoiding burning fossil fuels and their associated costs and air emissions.
CST technology uses reflecting surfaces to focus sunlight onto collectors, generating intense heat. By concentrating
solar energy, temperatures exceeding 1000°C can be attained. CST systems can also be combined with existing fossil energy processes, yielding hybrid systems with reduced fuel use and air emissions. Solar heat can be stored using
proven technology, allowing CST energy to be dispatchable, even in the absence of sunlight.
Concentrating solar thermal technology has great potential to “green” Alberta’s industrial base. CST implementation
can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by displacing fossil fuels in processes such as steam, power, and chemicals
production. An additional benefit is the potential to turn undesired by-products such as petroleum residues into valuable products such as hydrogen and syngas, using only solar energy.
Program Elements
Technology development & testing
Tech Futures is developing CST technology that applies Alberta’s superb solar resource to a wide range of industrial processes under local climatic conditions.
Covering:
- Solar hydrogen and syngas production
- Thermal energy storage (medium/high temperature)
- Energy conversion (steam and solar fuels)
Technology demonstration
Tech Futures is testing CST technology at a pre-commercial scale to support technology transfer by minimizing the risk of integrating it in key industrial/commercial applications in Alberta
- Taking CST technology and applications from fundamental R&D to bench and pilot scale
- CST demonstration projects at targeted industrial/large commercial sites
Techno-economic & feasibility studies
Tech Futures is assessing the techno-economic performance and carbon mitigation impacts of CST technology and its feasibility of integration with existing industrial energy production (e.g., boilers, power plants, etc.) and consumption processes (e.g., chemical, food processing, etc.).
Covering:
- Comparison with conventional energy production systems
- Hybrid CST-fossil fuel energy systems
- Novel CST-based applications