Concentrated solar power and pumped thermal electricity storage – synergy effects and innovative hybrid plant layouts
Large-scale high-temperature thermal energy storage (TES) is of high interest due to its cost competitiveness. Currently, high-temperature TES is applied in state-of-the-art solar thermal power plants (also referred to as concentrated solar power – CSP – plants), where molten salts are used for the storage of solar energy in the form of sensible heat. Another promising area of application for high-temperature TES is pumped thermal electricity storage (PTES), where high-temperature heat pumps are used to store electricity in the form of heat.
New Materials for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants components should work in extreme conditions, from the functional and structural points of view. The central receiver is an example where it is necessary to modify the surface of the metallic component with solar selective absorber coatings. From the functional point of view, both high solar absorptance (a) and low thermal emittance (b) are required in these coatings to convert sunlight to thermal electric power.
Third Generation Photovoltaics. Organic and Perovskite Solar Cells
DELFO group is formed by four university professors. The group is centred on the study of organic solar cells (OSC) and perovskite solar cells (PSC) stability. The group has active collaborations with different European organizations, such as Fraunhofer-ISE (Germany), CHOSE (Italy), NPL (U. K.) and DTU (Denmark). Research activities in the group are aimed towards fabrication, characterization and physical and circuital modeling of OSC and PSC. The final goal of the research is to understand the physical mechanisms occurring inside OSC and PSC devices, and identify those responsible of degradation.