We have developed more advanced concentrated solar power technology to produce thermal energy in a more efficient, cheaper and versatile way.
Solar thermal energy systems use the renewable source of the sun to produce heat. In order to achieve the high temperatures needed in industry or for power generation, the power of the sun must be multipled through concentration systems. The most established configuration of concentrated solar power (CSP) or concentrated solar thermal (CST) consists of parabolic mirrors that reflect and concentrate the sun’s rays at a single point, called a focus, accumulating heat up to temperatures of over 500°C; this heat can be used to produce thermal energy or electricity in a renewable way.
The system has been in use since ancient times, but at the Eni Research Centre in Novara have developed new solutions that reduce its production cost while increasing its simplicity and versatility and, subsequently, the possibilities for its use in various contexts. All of this is done while maintaining high optical and thermal efficiency.
Pilot
Thermal energy
Electric energy
Politecnico di Milano,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston
The thermal energy produced with CSP technology can be used within production cycles that require heating processes to produce steam for direct use or to drive a turbine and produce electricity. The principle was already known in Archimedes' time and has been applied industrially since the 1970s. In Eni's laboratories, in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano and MIT Boston, we have developed new technological solutions which are currently being tested in Gela to assess their application possibilities.
The sun's rays are concentrated by linear parabolic mirrors onto a tube called a receiver, placed in the geometric focus of the dish through which a thermovector fluid flows (i.e. one capable of storing and transporting heat). Thanks to an exchanger, this heat can be used in industrial processes or used to generate steam. Steam can then turn a turbine and produce electricity.
To make the system more efficient, we worked on four elements: the mirror, the casing of the receiver tube, the heat transfer fluid, and the support structure. For the reflective surface, we chose a special PET and silver film that is much lighter, stronger and cheaper than traditional glass mirrors. The pipe that the fluid flows through is made of multilayer steel and ceramic with optimised thermal properties. For the fluid, we opted for a mixture of molten salts that solidifies at much lower temperatures than the fluids used thus far. Finally, in the overall design we adopted the simplest structural solutions possible.
The solutions developed by Eni research can reduce the cost of mirrors by up to four times and halve the cost of a concentrating solar power plant. Savings are coupled with an improvement in the individual components’ efficiency.
fluid solidification point (vs. ~250°C for conventional fluids) ¹
absorbance of the pipe that the fluid flows through ²
pipe emissivity (at 550°C) ²
fluid solidification point (vs. ~250°C for conventional fluids) ¹
absorbance of the pipe that the fluid flows through ²
pipe emissivity (at 550°C) ²
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EnergIA (ener'dʒia) is a system based on Generative Artificial Intelligence.
Thanks to this technology, we can respond to your requests by querying the most relevant content and documents available on eni.com. (Note: financial documents from the last 12 months and press releases from the last 2 years are considered.)
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Remember that the content generated by the system does not represent Eni’s official position. We therefore invite stakeholders to refer to their designated contacts for official statements: Press Office for journalists, Investor Relations for analysts and investors, Company Secretariat for shareholders etc..
EnergIA can understand questions posed in almost all languages, but we prefer to provide you with a response in English or Italian, the two languages available on eni.com. If you ask a question in Italian, the content on the site in Italian will be consulted. If you ask it in English or any other language, the content in English will be consulted. (Note: the language Eni uses for financial documents/content is predominantly English.)
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