The Spanish startup Bluesolar has unveiled a patented PV-CSP system that combines hybrid panels and thermal storage to deliver uninterrupted solar energy. The technology uses optical light filters to generate electricity and to absorb heat for storage or steam, aimed at large -scale plants in high -solution markets.
Spain-Based Engineering firm Ghenova Ingeniería and Seville-Based Bluesolar, A Joint Venture with Capsun, A Spinoff of the Defunct Abengoa Solar, Have Patented A PV and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Systanhy CENTERTS, Intalar of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research of Research Of Research of Research of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Of Research Technology (CSIC), The Solar Platform of Almería, Tekniker, The University of Seville, The National Hydrogen Center, and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute.
The Spanish Institute for Technology and Communications (CIDT) co -financed the technology during development phases and the Andalusian Technology Corporation (CTA) supported the recently completed pilot project in Puertollano.
Bluesolar has developed the first large-scale plant concept that integrates photovoltaic and solar thermal energy into a single facility using hybrid panels. These panels generate uninterrupted electricity and also function as concentrating mirrors, using a patented selective optical light filter embedded in the panel glass. The panels continue to produce electricity while reflecting heat for thermal storage or direct steam generation.
The core of technology is a specialized glass that replaces standard glass over the photovoltaic panel and is manufactured by Bluesolar. The company said it can adjust this glass to the monocrystalline silicon panels of each manufacturer, although it achieves a higher efficiency with tunneloxide -passivated contact (Topcon) technology than with Passivated Emitter and Achter cell (perc) design.
“Bluesolar has the potential to become the world’s first solar technology that makes uninterrupted power supply possible at market prices. It makes efficient use of 50% of the energy that a panel does not use, making 60% more energy efficiency possible with a photovoltaic plant and 70% more than a thermal plant in solar energy, “said José Caparrós, CEO of Blue Solar, PV -Magazine. “This is because, in the light range that allows the filter to continue to the photovoltaic panel, silicon is twice as efficient as a thermal installation of a solar -sun, while in the percentage reflected light, a thermal plants for solar energy is much more efficient than a photovoltaic. With this interplay of light, the efficiency of a photovoltaic system for solar energy increases by 60%. “
The plant concept integrates thermal storage with the help of melted salts or other storage media.
“But given the intrinsic efficiency of the system, it is possible to minimize all technological barriers of thermal solar plants on solar energy, with smaller towers, lower temperatures, less complex trackers and smaller and simpler receivers, making scalability, modularity, reliability and maintenance,” the most important of the most important, those most important, those most important, those most important, though, “the most important challenge, those most important, though -though,” the most important challenge, those that are the most important of them -though -though, the most important challenge, those that are the most important of them -though -though, the most important challenge, those that are the most important challenge of the most important challenges, those that are the most important challenge, those that are the most important challenge of the most important technical and maintenance. Above all, improving the level of electricity by 50%, with the potential to be infinitely larger than those of these thermal plants on the sun companies. “
Bluesolar has designed its new plant concept to hybridize with existing and planned PV plants, with the aim of optimizing the current schedule infrastructure.
“The integration of photovoltaic plants with thermal storage plants using bluesolar technology gives rise to a plant concept that makes basic tax activities possible more than 7,000 hours a year. The extra advantage of having a steam turbine makes hybridization with gas possible, which makes full insulation of the grid possible, whereby 80% of the food produced with green energy and without price fluctuations would be produced, “said a bluesolar executive. “The compatibility of the technology with green hydrogen generation, which requires an uninterrupted renewable electricity supply, is being studied, as well as for linking to data centers or desalination installations, both thermal and reverse osmosis, which have a high thermal and electric consumption respectively.”
Bluesolar can now market the technology over 10 MW, with optimum efficiency in countries with high sun sources such as Spain, Italy, Chile, Australia, the United States, South Africa and Morocco.
The company has already conducted financial studies for the entire factory concept with large companies, with reference to its experience with the introduction of new factory designs on the Spanish market, including early requests for synchronous capacity connections with PV or wind systems and thermal storage systems in combination with PV fields.
The most important challenge, Caparrós said, is overcoming skepticism for thermal storage technologies. He said that the sector often sees thermal solar energy as outdated because early plants were built without storage and were confronted with a high complexity as projects of the first generation. But as Caparrós noted, storage is now essential only electrically but also thermal that two-thirds of the demand for industrial energy is for heat. To relax the industry, he said, thermal storage is necessary, making thermal solar and bluesolar’s technology increasingly relevant to an emerging market where thermal storage is the only feasible option.
The first project with this technology was inaugurated in November at the Institute of Concentrated Photovoltaic Systems (ISFOC) in Puertollano. The 300 kW system supplies electricity to the technology center and supports the development of hybrid systems that require thermal storage, including the production of hydrogen with high temperature.
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