Solar towers in test operation. In Jülich, the DLR operates a large-scale research facility for solar irradiation testing that is unique in Europe. Credit: DLR
Solar power towers can play an important role in the energy transition. They convert sunlight into heat that can be stored or used to generate electricity. Until now, however, data to test new methods for more efficient and reliable systems have been lacking. In a world first, researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are now publishing freely accessible operational data from the Jülich Solar Tower test power plant. This provides a foundation for developing new AI methods and digital twins. The results are published in Nature Energy.
Solar tower power plants do not convert sunlight directly into electricity, but generate heat as an intermediate step. An array of movable mirrors, known as heliostats, directs the light precisely onto a receiver at the top of a central tower. The heat generated there can be stored, used directly for electricity generation or used in industrial processes. If there is no immediate electricity demand, such a power plant can also supply energy at night or on cloudy days, helping to stabilize power grids. Although commercial solar power tower plants do exist, they are not yet widely used compared with photovoltaic systems.
