Thermal Energy Storage applied to Renewable Energy & the

RD&D efforts deployed at the Masdar Institute Solar Platform

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University
Dr. Nicolas Calvet Founder & Chair of the Masdar Institute Solar Platform (MISP)
Co-founder & CEO of Seramic Materials Ltd.
Representing UAE at the SolarPACES Executive Committee (IEA)

Middle East Energy Dubai, Technical Conference, March 9th 2023

Information Classification: General
 Introduction

Perpignan, south of France Pyrénées mountains Felix Trombe

World’s Biggest Solar Furnace

(1 MWth) in Odeillo, France
Operational since 1969
R&D facility

Information Classification: General

 Two-Tank Molten Salt Technology

1979 – Themis Solar Power Tower, Targasonne, France

Operational between 1983-1986

Now R&D facility
Nitrate Salts usually used as
fertilizer in agriculture

Information Classification: General

 Two-Tank Molten Salt Technology

2011 – Breakthrough – First 24/7 Commercial CSP Plant

GEMASOLAR
Seville Spain (2011)
First commercial molten salt solar
power tower
24/7 Power
19.9 MW (25,000 homes)
15 h TES

A Joint Venture

1979 - 2011 = it took 30 years to be commercialized!

Information Classification: General
 Two-Tank Molten Salt Technology

Gemasolar Power Production from June 11th to June 17th 2012

Source: Sener
✓ 24/7 or on-demand power production is possible
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 Two-Tank Molten Salt Technology

2015
Crescent Dune, USA
Demonstration Commercial Up-scaled 110 MWe

✓ Two-tank molten salt is now a mature technology

1979 2011
Themis, France Gemasolar, Spain
2.5 MWe 20 MWe
2022
Noor Energy 1, UAE
Information Classification: General 100 MWe
 The Masdar Institute Solar Platform (MISP)

Beam Down Solar

Parabolic
Concentrator Hot-Oil Loop Concrete TES
Dish-Stirling Electrical Thermal
Molten Salt TES
Energy Storage
Metallic Reflector
Based Fresnel Lens

Entrance
1.5 MW
Control Rooms Transformer

9 Tons 4 Tons 70 Tons

Metal Alloy
Information Classification: General Molten Salt Concrete
 HT Concrete TES Project

1 MWh prototype
➢ 280 cycles
➢ 290-390 C

Partners: Supported by

High-temperature Concrete TES

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 HT Concrete TES Project

Comparison of simulated and recorded HTF inlet/outlet temperatures

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 HT Concrete TES Project

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 CSPonD Demo Pilot

World’s First Direct Absorption Volumetric Molten Salt Receiver/TES

Tank Dimensions H=1.94m, D=1.25m

Dr. Nicolas CALVET

Information Classification: General
 CSPonD Demo Pilot

CCD Top View of the molten salt tank with “saltberg” and mixing plate
Camera

CSPonD Demo during operation in June 2017

✓ In-situ On-sun Melting Successful

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 CSPonD Demo Pilot

t=0

Dr. Nicolas CALVET

Information Classification: General
 CSPonD Demo Pilot

t=1h

Dr. Nicolas CALVET

Information Classification: General
 CSPonD Demo Pilot

t=2h

Dr. Nicolas CALVET

Information Classification: General
 CSPonD Demo Pilot

t=3h

Dr. Nicolas CALVET

Information Classification: General
 CSPonD Demo Pilot

t=4h

Dr. Nicolas CALVET

Information Classification: General
 CSPonD Demo Pilot

✓ Tank fully charged at a constant temperature

Dr. Nicolas CALVET
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 CSPonD Demo Pilot

Information Classification: General

 ETES Project

Electrical Thermal Energy Storage (ETES) Technology Demonstration (26 kWe 24/7)

500 kWp of Solar PV 2 x 4.5 tons of PCM

2 x 13 kWe Stirling Engines

Information Classification: General

 ETES Project

Electrical Thermal Energy Storage (ETES)/Stirling Technology (26 kWe 24/7)

2 x TESPod®
Thermal Energy Storage Power On Demand
Al-Si Alloy
Melting Temperature 575°C
Information Classification: General
 ETES Project

Charge/Discharge Cycles from one TES.POD® (13 kWe)

Information Classification: General

 ETES Project

Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG)

Eshara Water’s EW1000 machine

installed at the MISP and 100% solar powered
produces 1000 L/day

1. E. Ansari, N. Lopez-Ferber, T. Milosevic, J. Barron, G. Karanikolos, F. Al Marzooqi, L. F. Dumee, and N. Calvet;

“Atmospheric Water Generation in Arid Regions – A Techno-economic Perspective on Deployment Challenges for the Middle East,”
Journal of Water Process Engineering, Volume 49, October 2022, 103163.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214714422006079?via%3Dihub

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 Industrial Solid Waste-Based Ceramics

EAF Slag-based Ceramic

5 patents (1 granted + 4 pending)

Dr. Nicolas CALVET
Information Classification: General
 Seramic Materials Ltd. Supported by the

Seramic Materials is a UAE-based startup company,

which developed a unique and patented solution to upcycle industrial solid waste
into sustainable and affordable ceramic products

Over 10 yr. of know-how

13 patents

Industrial Solid Waste Value-added Ceramic Products

Dr. Nicolas CALVET

Information Classification: General
 1 Billion tons of industrial solid waste generated yearly worldwide

Steel Slag Bauxite Residue Incinerator Ash Waste Sludge Fly Ash

Information Classification: General

Information Classification: General
 ReThink Seramic - Flora Supported by the

World’s First 100% Recycled Thermal Energy Storage Ceramic Commercial Product (Patent pending)

• Designed in the UAE

• Made in France
• Max Temp 1250°C
• 50% cheaper than conventional ceramic

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Plateforma Solar de Almeria,
Spain,
Information2021
Classification: General
 Thank You

Contact: Dr. Nicolas Calvet

nicolas.calvet@ku.ac.ae
Nicolas.calvet@Seramic.eco

Information Classification: General

 Context: CSP vs. PV (LDES 9 h of storage)

Source: Exploring the Potential Competitiveness of Utility-Scale Photovoltaics plus Batteries with Concentrating Solar Power, 2015–2030; David Feldman,
Robert Margolis, and Paul Denholm, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

CSP is still cheaper than PV + Battery for dispatchable power (Large scale = 9 h)
Information Classification: General Dr. Nicolas Calvet