Concentrating Solar Power Research and Development

Photo that shows an aerial view of the Test Facility. A central tower looms over a field of ten rows of ground-mounted mirrors that track the sun and focus the sunlight onto the top of the tower.

Aerial view of part of the National Solar Thermal Test Facility at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Credit: Sandia National Laboratories

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Program pursues research and development (R&D) activities in concentrating solar power (CSP) to lower technology and manufacturing costs, increase conversion efficiencies, and improve the reliability of components and systems.

We highlight collaborative efforts with outside companies and research organizations in the following areas:

Linear Concentrator Systems—includes R&D on parabolic troughs, but also, on other line-focus systems such as linear Fresnel reflectors.
Dish/Engine Systems—includes R&D on dish structures, mirrors, and Stirling engines.
Power Tower Systems—includes links to R&D being done within other CSP areas, but that are relevant to heliostats, receivers, and overall systems issues for central-receiver solar plants.
Thermal Storage—includes R&D on heat-transfer fluids and thermal-storage materials to improve CSP systems.
Advanced Components and Systems—includes characterization and testing of CSP materials, components, and systems, and other cross-cutting CSP technology R&D.