Solar Hybrid Air-sCO2 Power Plants

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SHARP-sCO2 aims to put the basis to develop a new generation of high efficient and flexible CSP plants. Keeping on working on CSP-sCO2 power cycles and exploiting air as operating fluids also developing novel enabling technologies (receiver, storage etc.), SHARP-sCO2 will attain high working temperatures, guaranteeing reliable and flexible operation, optimal working conditions and high efficiency for the coupling of CSP with sCO2 power cycle thanks to the development of high performant sCO2-air heat exchanger. Leveraging on a smart and integrated hybridization with PV, enabled by the development of an innovative electric heater, SHARP-sCO2 will maximize the production, exploiting PV affordability while counting on the unique energy storage capabilities of CSP plants via thermal media. The latter will be also optimized by developing an innovative high temperature thermal energy storage. SHARP-sCO2, by means of a material selection process driven by environmental and economic criteria and aimed at maximizing the circularity of the solution, will lead also to lower LCOE/CAPEX for future CSP. Developing and validating in EU top level laboratories (IME, KTH, TUD) key cycle components (receiver, storage, HEXs, electric heater) SHARP-sCO2 will prove the effectiveness and techno-economic viability of air-driven/sCO2 CSP cycles. Four prototypes will be investigated in a cross-fertilizing lab campaign (TRL5) also to validate partners’ modeling approach to robustly study cycle integration (via a ”cyber-physical approach”). Taking into account EU/extra-EU solar irradiation, electric market perspectives, environmental, safety/regulation aspects too, the project, which involves EU R&D leaders in CSP sector, will be the first keystone towards the promotion of air-driven/sCO2 cycles as key solution for EU CSP plants targeting 2030 EU targets. The project will assess the holistic impact of SHARP-sCO2 also proposing R&D roadmaps to TRL 9 and market uptake of project innovation.