DOE opens new funding opportunity for Concentrating Solar Power energy storage

On April 23rd, 2013 the US Department of Energy (DOE) opened a new USD 20 million funding opportunity for thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems as a component of concentrating solar power (CSP) technology.

DOE seeks designs that can validate a cost of less than USD 15 per kWh-thermal and operate at temperatures higher than 650 degrees Celsius. Applicants must submit concept papers by May 23rd, 2013.

Concentrating Solar Power: Efficiently Leveraging Equilibrium Mechanisms for Engineering New Thermochemical Storage (CSP: ELEMENTS) is part of the DOE’s SunShot Initiative, which seeks to drive down the cost of solar technologies.

DOE states that the funding is designed to both advance major technical focus areas and develop complete TCES systems. Successful projects will culminate in an on-sun test of the TCES system. Validated performance models will also be required of recipients.

http://energy.gov/

http://www.helioscsp.com/noticia.php?id_not=1764