Solar Hybrid Air-sCO2 Power Plants
SHARP-sCO2 aims to establish the foundations for the development of a new generation of highly efficient and flexible concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Through the use of thermodynamic cycles based on supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) and air as working fluids, together with the development of new technologies (receiver, thermal storage, etc.), SHARP-sCO2 will achieve high operating temperatures while ensuring reliable and flexible operation, optimal working conditions, and high efficiency in coupling the air loop with the sCO₂ loop through the development of a high-performance heat exchanger.
Through the intelligent hybridisation of photovoltaic energy and the use of an innovative electric heating device, SHARP-sCO2 will maximise energy production by taking advantage of the affordability of photovoltaic electricity and the unique thermal energy storage capability of CSP plants. In this way, an innovative high-temperature thermal energy storage concept will be optimised.
By implementing a materials selection process based on circular economy criteria, SHARP-sCO2 will also contribute to lower Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) associated with CSP technology.
Through the development and validation of key cycle components (receiver, thermal storage system, air/sCO₂ heat exchanger and electric heater) in leading European laboratories (IME, KTH and TUD), SHARP-sCO2 will demonstrate the effectiveness and techno-economic feasibility of air-driven sCO₂ thermodynamic cycles for CSP applications.
Four prototypes will be investigated in an experimental campaign (TRL 5), also serving to validate numerical models and enable a robust assessment of cycle integration through a “cyber-physical approach”.
Considering the solar resource available both within the European Union and in countries outside the EU, as well as electricity market prospects and environmental, regulatory and safety aspects, the project—bringing together leading European R&D experts in the concentrated solar thermal energy sector—will provide the first cornerstone for promoting air/CO₂ systems as a key solution for solar thermal power plants in Europe, contributing to the achievement of the EU’s 2030 objectives.
The project will assess the overall impact of SHARP-sCO2 and will also propose R&D roadmaps towards TRL 9 and the market uptake of the innovations developed within the project.
Socios: ODQA RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED (ODQA, Reino Unido)
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (UOXF, Reino Unido)
