Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy System ISE
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE
Heidenhofstr. 2
79110 Freiburg
Germany
Contactperson:
Dr. Werner Platzer
Head of Department Solar Thermal and Optics
+49-761-4588-5983
+49-761-4588-9981
Main field of activities:
Fraunhofer ISE is Europe’s leading institute for applied solar research. Its aim is to develop innovative technical solutions for industry and the public sector. In the field of concentrated solar thermal power main activities are:
- materials and component development
- optical and thermal testing
- durability aspects and monitoring
- simulation and optimization of solar power stations
- technical and economical feasibility studies
Description of products and services related to Solar Thermal Power:
In our materials and component research we develop high-temperature stable selective absorber or mirror coatings, produce prototypes, optimize concentrator optics and improve thermal collector design for customers.
Our wide range of optical and thermal measurement technology supports the development process as well as production quality control. Durability tests and monitoring of demonstration field installations safeguard the performance data for new products and systems.
Within the techno-economical simulation and optimisation package we deal in an integrated way with solar collector fields, power stations, solar cooling, process heat, desalination, system control. The package is used in different sophistication levels for component optimisation, thermal and electrical yield simulations and economical feasibility studies.
Realized projects and references:
1999-2001 Optical and thermal design optimisation of the Linear Fresnel Collector (LFC); air-stable absorber coating development
2001-2004 Technology assessment of the LFC in solar thermal power plants; development of plant concepts for the integration into steam cycles (solar-only and hybrid systems)
2004-2005 Assessment of the GEF strategy for the market development of CSP in developing countries
2004-2007 receiver and mirror developments for parabolic through and Fresnel collectors; comparison study of solar power plants using parabolic trough power and LFC
2006-2008 FRESDEMO 100m long demonstration LFC; techno-economical collector optimization, experimental validation
2006-2008 FRESQUALI: development of optical and thermal measurement techniques for concentrating collectors; e.g. fringe reflection, parameter identification techniques for thermal testing
2007-2009 MEDIFRES project: investigation and evaluation of small and medium scale solar thermal power inclduing CHP / CHCP