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EUREKA PROJECT
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EUREKA PROJECT > 5044 AQUASUN
ISRAEL
Solar power generation on a floating platform
To develop a solar power system floating on water and to demonstrate how it can bring a substantial decrease in electricity production costs. Key elements are concentration of solar energy on solar cells and an innovative cooling system using water as a cold source.
Status > ANNOUNCED - 24-Jun-2010 Technological Area Market Area Start Date > 31-Mar-2010 Duration > 24 Months Participating countries > ISRAEL, FRANCE | Main contactSolaris Synergy (Israel) Ltd Dr. Elyakim Kassel > Project manager http://www.solaris-synergy.com Organisation type > SME |
Project Description
This projects aims to introduce a new paradigm in electricity production, floating solar power plants on water. It received the label of Pole de Competitivite Capenergies by a decision dated June 29 2009. Two partners of the project belong to the Pole de Competitivite Capenergies, namely SODITECH INGENIERIE and EDF UPM. It applied for and is in the process of also getting a label from the Pole de Competitivite OPTITEC. One of the partners, POLYRISE, belongs to this cluster. As PV (Photovoltaic) companies struggle to find land to install modules on the ground, the project team identified the almost untouched potential of solar systems on water. There are many water reservoirs with energy, industrial or agricultural uses that are open for further energy production use. A key success factor is the ability to demonstrate cheap solar electricity production. This project intends to achieve cost reduction by reducing the amount of costly solar cells through sun energy concentration. Concentration of solar energy creates heat. The intended system is planned with an evaporating/condensation cooling system floating on water. Thanks to this efficient cooling method, this Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) system, unlike more expensive cells of mainstream CPV, uses Silicon solar cells, which thanks to cooling achieve a higher efficiency than in standard PV mode. Simplicity of concentration comes together with a simple sun tracking solution, achieved by slowly rotating the floating platform around its axis. The project will have a design phase involving Heat Transfer, Mechanical Engineering, Optics, Electrical Engineering and Materials Engineering. Three companies will collaborate in the design phase: * SOLARIS SYNERGY; * SODITECH INGENIERIE; * POLYRISE. The design will take into account a system size allowing the production of 1MW of electricity. The implementation phase will build a test for a smaller system able to produce 50 kW. The system is expected to be built of identical modules, so that reaching a higher power rating is achieved by adding more modules to the system. For the implementation, there is an additional partner, EDF UPM. It operates most dams retaining water of South East FRANCE. It represents the final customer of the project. It will provide the site of Cadarache where there is a reservoir behind a dam with proximity to the electricity grid. The system will be tested over a period of time of 6 to 9 months, experiencing seasonal changes, current drifts, and water level changes. The project will address the following main topics: The large mechanical structure needs the flexibility to sustain wave motion, slow water level variation and moderate water current. The project needs to solve a unique complex mechanical problem that is combining the requirements of stability of a large floating structure with sun tracking and keeping solar cells in focus. Additionally a reliable anchoring system to the shore will be developed. Two concepts of concentration will be designed for comparison, parabolic mirrors and cylindrical Fresnel lenses. Innovative, nano-particle-based coatings and varnishes will be developed to protect all optical surfaces from humidity and dust and will be scratch resistant. Electrical engineering challenges involve the optimal connection of solar cells, the design of the inverter circuits and the efficient electricity collection system to bring power to the grid on the shore. The evaporating/condensation system will be built with polymeric materials. If metal were used, the many pipes would be assembled by welding, creating weak points with leakage risk over time. Using polymeric materials contributes to the overall goal of achieving both reliability and cost target. On the other hand it is a major challenge since thermal conductivity of polymer materials is lower than thermal conductivity of metal. Since the system is planned to be used on industrial water or reclaimed water, the selected material should be chemically inert to its environment. One more constraint is mechanical. The pressure inside the pipes is low. Ring stiffness should be strong enough to withstand that pressure difference. Since the system is exposed to a humid environment, solar cell assembly and encapsulation need to be designed accordingly. Assembly should assure electrical contacts, thermal contact and insulation from water over a period of 20 years without failure. A preliminary check shows no detrimental environmental impact on water quality, flora and fauna. Choices of materials will keep this concern in mind. This will also be monitored during the implementation phase. At the end of the project a working system will be developed and will demonstrate the required reliability according to current qualification standards. The targeted efficiency should be demonstrated, both thermally and electrically. The project will also deliver a manufacturing cost analysis and generation cost assessment.
Technological Development Envisaged
CPV (Concentrated Photovoltaic) systems have a promise of reducing the cost of PV (Photovoltaic) power through the reduction of the amount of costly solar cell material needed to generate a given amount of electricity. Due to the lack of efficient cooling, a mainstream CPV can not use Silicon solar cells. Instead it is using more expensive III-V semiconductor-based cells. To keep costs down, this solution requires further cell area reduction by higher concentration (X500 and above). At this level of concentration, the sun tracking system requires very tight tolerances, again driving the costs even higher. A recent study "the CPV Challenge (part I): Achieving Grid Parity" lists the reliability issues associated with mainstream CPV: "Most common causes of failure detected during the experience achieved in CPV over the past years are mainly the following ones: power degradation as a consequence of thermal cycling and fatigue, short circuit problems (electrical isolation) water penetration and condensation inside the modules, temperature of the cells higher than the original values designed, heat evacuation problems and tracking malfunction." The proposed project addresses all these weaknesses with a very innovative cooling solution by evaporation/condensation. The system will float on water. This is a very new concept with very few players. An Australian company called SUNENGY developed a concept called Liquid Solar Array, intended also to bring concentrated PV on water surfaces. A Swiss company called SOLAR ISLANDS is developing a floating solar power plant using thermal technology. SOLARIS SYNERGY applied for a PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) patent on its floating CPV solar power technology based on a novel cooling system under the title: PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR POWER GENERATION SYSTEM. It is based on U.S. Application No. 61/084,630. SOLARIS SYNERGY has already built a laboratory scale demonstrator as proof-of-concept of the technology described in the patent.
Main contactSolaris Synergy (Israel) Ltd Dr. Elyakim Kassel > Project manager http://www.solaris-synergy.com Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
The organisation will be in charge of the overall system concept. It will define the mechanical frame of the system, floating platforms, interface with optical concentrators and heat exchangers, sun tracking Moving system, cabling the Photovoltaic Modules to the electrical invertor and to the shore. It will have full design and implementation responsibility of the following module sub-assembly: - Polymer-based cooling system; - Solar cell assembly; - Solar cell encapsulation; - Concentration optical system. SOLARIS SYNERGY will manage subcontractors for system manufacturing and installation. After system installation at the Caradache site, SOLARIS SYNERGY will validate the thermal efficiency performance and the cost model of power generation.
Expertise
SOLARIS SYNERGY was established in 2008. It is a developer of a breakthrough, patent-protected solar power generation system that dramatically lowers energy production costs. Driven by its mission to become a leading global provider and operator of floating CPV systems, SOLARIS SYNERGY maintains an engineering team with vast expertise in physics, heat transfer, mechanics, optics and electricity. The company at this point is solely active in R&D. After the successful implementation of this project, ending with beta site testing with EDF, the company is planning to start commercial installations. The goal is to achieve 30 MW of cumulative installed capacity by 2015.
Main contactELECTRICITE DE FRANCE (EDF) - Unite de Production Mediterranee Mr. Emmanuel Goossens > R&D Engineer Organisation type > Large company |
Contribution to project
The organisation operates most dams retaining water of South East FRANCE. This water is used for hydropower generation and its surface is an open area well exposed to sunlight. Within the AQUASUN project, EDF will provide the surface of a water reservoir in order to accommodate the project prototype and will limit movements of water level and speed. A team of EDF researchers will also valid technical choices for electrical design and check the prototype performances.
Expertise
EDF operates 75% of hydropower generation capacity in FRANCE and has worldwide references in building and operating dams, especially in Africa, Asia and South America. Technical calculation and economical valuation of management constraints about water retaining is one of EDF's well-known expertises.