Concentrating Solar Power Technology

Dr. Keith Lovegrove is the managing director of ITP Thermal Pty Ltd, which leads work on solar thermal and hydrogen energy systems within the ITP Energised group of companies. He has over 30 years of experience in renewable energy combined with 15 years of teaching experience in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in energy systems and systems engineering. He was previously the leader of the Solar Thermal Group at the Australian National University. In that role, he was the lead inventor and design and construction team leader of the 500m2 Generation II Big Dish solar concentrator, recognized with a Light Weight Structures Association of Australia, 2009 design award and a 2011 citation from the Institute of Engineers Australia ACT Engineering Excellence awards. Keith is currently a member of the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Energy Technology advisory board, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s Advisory Panel, the Australian Solar Thermal Energy Association board, and chair of the Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute steering committee. Wes Stein is a Chief Research Scientist for Solar Technologies at CSIRO. He has been active in CSP research for over 25 years and was instrumental in establishing the National Solar Energy Centre at CSIRO, including building Australia’s first solar tower. He is also a Chief Technologist for the Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute where he leads the development of strategies and technologies for the next generation of CSP. Prior to CSIRO, he worked in the power industry for 20 years in power station operation and design, as well as investigating and developing new energy technologies for utilities. Wes represents Australia on the International Energy Agency’s Solar PACES Executive Committee, the predominant CSP international body.

Part I: Introduction
1. Introduction to concentrating solar power technology
2. Fundamental principles of concentrating solar power systems
3. Solar resources for concentrating solar power systems
4. Site selection and feasibility analysis for concentrating solar power systems
5. Socio-economic and environmental assessment of concentrating solar power systems

Part II: Technology approaches and potential
6. Linear Fresnel Collector (LFC) solar thermal technology
7. Parabolic-trough concentrating solar power systems
8. Central tower concentrating solar power systems
9. Parabolic dish concentrating solar power systems
10. Concentrating photovoltaic systems and applications
11. Thermal energy storage systems for concentrating solar power plants

Part III: Optimization, improvements, and applications
12. Hybridization with conventional fossil plants
13. The long-term market potential of concentrating solar power systems
14. Absorber materials for solar thermal receivers in concentrating solar power systems
15. Optimization of concentrating solar power plant designs through integrated techno-economic modelling
16. Heliostat size optimization for central receiver solar power plants
17. Heat flux and high temperature measurement technologies for concentrating solar power
18. Concentrating solar technologies for industrial process heat
19. Solar fuels and industrial solar chemistry
20. Concentrating solar power best practices