Page 49 - European Energy Innovation magazine - autumn 2022 edition

Autumn 2021 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION 49
POLYPHEM, a promising concept

of co-generation technology of

heat and electricity

After more than four years of electricity generation to variable challenges, among not the least, the
of collaborative research on local needs, an overall conversion global pandemic COVID. However, key
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), and efficiency of solar energy into targets were reached, and the results
particularly through the development electricity of 18% for an investment are very promising.”
of a solar-driven micro gas-turbine cost of less than 5 €/W and a low
technology, the POLYPHEM project environmental impact. By 2030, the POLYPHEM, a promising concept of
had come to an end in August 2022. cost of electricity production targeted co-generation technology of heat
by the POLYPHEM technology is 165 and electricity
POLYPHEM: Small-Scale Solar €/MWh for an annual direct normal Therefore, the deployment of the
Thermal Combined Cycle irradiation of 2600 kWh/m2/year technology is strongly considered.
POLYPHEM is a Horizon 2020 project (North Africa and Middle East) and Indeed, due to the simplicity of the
funded under the Energy programme. 209 €/MWh under 2050 kWh/m /year concept and implementation, large
2
Coordinated by CNRS-PROMES, this (Southern Europe). parts of the plant can be produced
project was implemented by nine and erected in the target country as
partners from four EU countries. In addition to decentralized power local content. Also, maintenance can
generation, other applications are be done locally by trained personnel.
The particularity of this consortium, considered for the deployment of this So large parts of rural areas without
which is also its strength, is that it technology used in poly-generation: proper energy infrastructure
is a public and private partnership. solar heating and cooling of multi- can gain power independence
Partners come from both the family buildings, water desalination without harming the environment
academic world such as CEA- for small communities, industrial heat by transporting diesel over long
LITEN, CIEMAT-PSA, and Fraunhofer production, desalination of seawater distances.
ISE, but also business world such or brackish water, etc.
as ARRAELA, KAEFER SE, ORCAN Outcomes of the POLYPHEM project
ENERGY, AALBORG CSP, and Main results will allow in the short term to
EURONOVIA. POLYPHEM partners succeeded in reinforce the competitiveness of this
having many specific results despite new low carbon energy technology,
The main objectives of the POLYPHEM a major technical issue on the solar favour its integration in the medium
project were to improve on the one receiver. The main achievements are term in the worldwide energy mix
hand, the performance of small- the selection of 2 alloys for the tailor and contribute to the mitigation of
scale Concentrated Solar Power made design of the air-solar receiver, climate change.
(CSP) plants and, in the other hand, the development and erection of an
their flexibility to generate power on original TES (Thermal Energy Storage) As a way of conclusion of this fruitful
demand. made of concrete bricks and walls collaborative research, relevant
with oil as heat transfer fluid, the reports, deliverables, webinars
To this end, a new technology assessment of performance with and scientific publications are
was proposed: a solar-driven creation of simulation models for available on the official website
combined cycle with integrated each component such as the air/oil (https://www.polyphem-project.eu/).
thermal energy storage. More detail RHX (Recovery Heat exchanger) or Join the POLYPHEM community by
information can be found on the the ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle), and following us on social media LinkedIn
project website. the testing of the solarised micro- (https://www.linkedin.com/company/
gas turbine. Finally, the project could polyphem/) or Twitter (https://twitter.
Impact & applications bring the technology from TRL3 to com/H2020CSP) to stay tuned! l
Initially, the main expected impact TRL4 or TRL5!
of this project was to enhance the
competitiveness of low-carbon As Andreas Poppinghaus from This project has received funding from
the European Union’s Horizon 2020
energy production systems through KAEFER SE, member of the research and innovation programme
the technology developed. The Consortium, said “The multinational under grant agreement N° 764048.
expected progress is a better fitting team of POLYPHEM faced many

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