Concentrated Solar Power installation (CSP)

Energy Harbors

3 pilot installations (Kallo, Ostend & Genk)

Consortium Feasibility study Azteq, Tractebel and Port of Antwerp

Budget: € 112,491
Grant: € 49,996

Consortium ICON Project IMEC, EnergyVille (KU Leuven and VITO), Borealis, Soltech and Laborelec

Budget: € 1,656,408
Grant: € 1,219,506

Concentrated solar energy that produces industrial process heat up to 400 °C, seems to make little sense at first sight in Flanders. Azteq made this assumption in cooperation with Tractebel and Port of Antwerp, refuted in a feasibility study facilitated by Flux50. There are sufficient full load hours in Flanders (950 hours) to potentially provide this technology.

Azteq’s solar thermal installation bundles the sunlight in the focal point of parabolic mirrors where oil is heated. Through a heat exchanger, this heat is transferred to industrial processes or temporarily stored in a buffer vessel. To absorb the sunlight as much as possible, the mirrors follow the sun during the day.

Thanks to the feasibility study supported by Flux50, three pilot installations were mapped out and financially supported by the Flemish government. Two installations are now operational. In Kallo at ADPO, the installation ensures the storage of heated liquids at temperatures above 140 °C. In Ostend, it provides heat of 180°C for chemical company Proviron. Later, the test setup in Genk at EnergyVille will follow for further research about heat networks and ORC installations.

Technology is constantly evolving. Together with IMEC(EnergyVille), further thought was given to take full advantage of the used surface. Due to the combination of these solar thermal mirrors with solar cells, not only can heat be produced but electricity can be generated as well. This is currently being investigated by both parties in cooperation with Borealis, Soltech, Laborelec and VITO (EnergyVille) in an interdisciplinary cooperative research project supported by Flux50 and Catalisti (the cluster organization for the chemical sector in Flanders). This research will provide expertise to the companies which they can also apply in other domains such as glass-free or building-integrated solar panels.