Advanced Nitrate Salt Central Receiver Power Plant

Photo of two lit towers surrounded by much smaller blue flat plates that are mounted on the ground.

Commercial central receiver plant designs

Abengoa, under the Baseload CSP FOA, will demonstrate a 100-megawatt electrical (MWe) central receiver plant using nitrate salt as the receiver coolant, thermal storage medium, and heat transport fluid in the steam generator.

Approach

The plan is to operate the plant at full load for 6,400 hours each year using only solar energy. Abengoa is working to create a team of suppliers capable of deploying a commercially ready nitrate salt central receiver technology that can be competitive in the current power marketplace.

Innovation

Abengoa is developing a new molten-salt power tower technology with a surround heliostat field. Key components include:

A new high-temperature molten salt receiver based on a fossil boiler and heat exchanger design that will be more robust and more manufacturable
A cermet, high-temperature, low-emissivity selective coating for central receivers that is stable when exposed to air
An optimized surround heliostat field
An optimized thermal storage, steam generator, and power cycle configuration based on dry cooling.

Quarterly Progress Reports

Patents, Publications, & Awards

Learn about other DOE competitive awards for concentrating solar power research that are in progress.