Porous Ceramics for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Applications
June 26, 2013
Lugano, Switzerland

Organizers: Alberto Ortona and Maurizio Barbato

In the recent years Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) has become a small
but increasing integral part of the electricity supply of many
countries of the world. CSP technology uses high temperature solar heat
to operate engines. CSP offers unique features such as the possibility
of a sustainable base load electricity supply and the possible
hybridization with a simultaneous use of the engine waste heat for
secondary applications such as desalination. Therefore this technology
can help in solving two of the main global problems especially occurring
in countries belonging to the desert belt of the world: increasing
water scarcity and electricity demand by a rapidly growing  population.
CSP offers both: a chance for economic growth in countries with access
to areas with high direct solar radiation and a chance for the
industrialized countries for a sustainable and competitive energy supply. However, without
using reliable, functional and cost effective components and materials
CSP will fail on its way to competitiveness and economic success.
Meanwhile also R&D activities on CSP have increased significantly.
Since it is a highly multidisciplinary technology also material and
thermal sciences have put much more attention on applications in CSP
components and processes.

Porous ceramics are a key technology as functional materials in CSP
high temperature applications. They will play an increasing role since
they offer a great variability in meeting the complex requirements in
components such as solar receivers and heat exchangers for CSP
Technologies.


Speakers:
  • Prof. Aldo Steinfeld – ETHZ (CH)
  • Dr. Manuel Romero – IMDEA ENERGY (E)
  • Dr. Thomas Fend – DLR (D)
  • Dr. Gianluca Ambrosetti – Airlight Energy (CH)
  • Prof. Gerard Vignoles – Université Bordeaux  LCTS (F)
  • Prof. Maurizio Barbato – SUPSI (CH)
  • Prof. Young-Wook Kim – University of  Seoul (RK)
  • Mr. Sandro Gianella – Erbicol (CH)
  • Mr. Claudio D’Angelo – SUPSI (CH)

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