CDE4301 SSC-401 Interim Report

Scalable Concentrated Solar-Thermal Power

Table of Contents

Abstract Acknowledgements 1. Background 1.1 Why focus on small scale Concentrated Solar Power? 1.2 UROP Solar Tower rig 1.3 Aims & Objectives 1.4 Potential Use Case 1.5 Value Proposition 1.6 Discussion 1.7 Project Plan 2. Subsections References

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Abstract

Large-scale Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants have been widely studied and successfully implemented for electricity generation. However, small-scale CSP systems remain largely unexplored, despite offering several advantages over solar PV panels, including simpler mechanical designs, lower installation and maintenance costs, longer lifespans, and easier recyclability. These advantages highlight the potential for CSP technology to support practical, small-scale uses. This project investigates the development of a scalable, low-cost CSP system. A potential application of the proposed system is hot water production for showering. The project aims to design and evaluate the feasibility of small-scale CSP as a sustainable thermal energy solution.



Acknowledgements

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our project supervisor, Prof. Lim Li Hong Idris, for her invaluable guidance, encouragement, and continuous support throughout the course of this project. We are also deeply grateful to our industry partner, Mr. Tan Toh Hian, for providing direction, insights, and consistent support.

Our appreciation extends to the SolarReborn UROP team for the support and assistance they have provided throughout the project. We would also like to thank Ms. Annie Tan and the staff at the Electronics Lab, Mr. Dickson Foo and the staff at the Central Workshop, Mr. Vincent Bay and the staff at the Fabrication Lab, as well as the IDP staff, whose support and expertise were essential in bringing this project to completion.



1. Background

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a system that collects thermal energy. It redirects and concentrates sunlight using mirrors onto a receiver. The receiver conducts the thermal energy to the heat transfer fluid (HTF) within it, which is then transferred to a thermal energy storage (TES) system or the application.

CSP systems are used globally, with 7360MW in operation and 3351MW in construction as of March 2025. Its market is worth USD 5.8 billion (2025), with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3% from 2025 to 2035 [2].

However, most of these systems are large-scale, about 5-10 acres of land per MW are used, mainly for electricity generation, with an electric efficiency up to 16% [2].

Despite that, there are small-scale plants used for industrial process heat and in rural or off-grid areas for electricity or poly-generation [2]. The electric efficiency is comparable with large-scale systems, of up to 15% or 30% for low temperature (<500ºC) and high temperature (>500ºC) systems respectively [3].

1.1 Why focus on small scale Concentrated Solar Power?

Over the years, many have adopted photovoltaics (PV) to generate electricity from sunlight. However, concentrated solar power (CSP) offers several advantages. CSP systems have lower installation and maintenance costs due to their simpler mechanical design [4]. They also have a longer lifespan, whereas PV systems typically last around 25 years. Additionally, CSP components are easier to recycle since they are made from less complex materials [5],[6].

Given these benefits, we aim to explore how small-scale CSP systems can be integrated into everyday applications to provide a more sustainable and efficient source of energy.

1.2 UROP Solar Tower rig

The rig we will be optimising is the current 1x1m CSP rig that was built alongside the UROP team (see below). It consists of a 1m3 area underneath, 8 parabolic mirrors, a black aluminium pot with water as the receiver. The specifications are given below.




1.3 Aims & Objectives

The aim of this project is to identify the optimal configuration of a scalable, low-cost CSP system consisting of the light, thermal transmission and thermal energy storage (TES) subsystems.

1.4 Potential Use Case

Multiple 1 m² CSP rigs will be deployed to help meet the energy demands of the selected applications.

Indonesia

Our industry partner, ES&T Environmental, has identified a growing demand among coastal hotels in Indonesia for efficient and sustainable hot water production for showering. With abundant sunlight and ample space, small-scale CSP systems are well-suited for this purpose.

Vietnam

In northern Vietnam, salt production depends on solar evaporation of seawater, but the process is inefficient due to poor humidity control. Using brine obtained from seawater, desalination can help accelerate salt production by reducing the overall drying time.

Application

To address these use cases, particularly focusing on hot water production for showering in Indonesia, we propose two solutions:

  • 1-stage process - Hot water production (40-45°C [7]) using tap water
  • 2-stage process - Hot water production using seawater
    • Heating of seawater to obtain freshwater and brine (100°C)
    • Heating of freshwater to produce hot water (40-45°C [7])

The single-stage process is designed specifically for the Indonesia case, while the two-stage process applies to both the Indonesia and Vietnam cases. Both processes will be tested. The two-stage process will be implemented only if seawater can be heated to 100°C

1.5 Value Proposition

A scalable 1×1 m CSP system that uses free resources such as sunlight and seawater to provide a reliable hot water supply for showering at 45 °C [7] or produce brine, offering an affordable, sustainable solution for communities in equatorial developing regions (16% of the world population)[8],[9].

1.6 Discussion

The project focuses on developing an optimized, customizable, and scalable low-cost CSP rig for research purposes. Further improvements are needed (as discussed in respective sections) before testing its water storage capacity and temperature performance for the intended use case. Beyond this, additional design modifications will be made to improve compatibility, such as using alternative materials to reduce cost, and enhancing portability and ease of setup.

1.7 Project Plan

The project timeline is summarized in the Gantt chart below, with detailed tasks outlined for the current subsections. New subsections will be added for hot water production, focusing on assessing the volume of water that can be maintained at 40–45°C and evaluating the feasibility of desalination if heating up to 100°C is achievable.



2. Subsections

The project is currently split to 3 subsections, and the information on each subsection is displayed on its respective page below.

  1. Light
  2. Thermal Transmission
  3. Thermal Energy Storage
  4. Sensing (only used during the design and testing phase to capture data and optimise the system)



Next: Light

References