Project: SUNSON – Concentrated solar energy storage at ultra-high temperatures and solid-state conversion
Start: 01/12/2022 End: 31/05/2026
Project website: https://www.sunson.eu/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under Grant Agreement No. 101083827.
DESCRIPTION: Concentrated solar power systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight into a receiver. The energy from the concentrated sunlight is then used to heat a high-temperature fluid within the receiver. The EU-funded SUNSON project intends to develop a compact, modular, decentralised solution for dispatchable solar power generation that has 10 times less volume than current systems. The new prototype will integrate splitting optics systems for the beam-down solar concentrator, high-temperature latent heat storage systems and thermophotovoltaic generators. Furthermore, smart digital tools will be developed to aid in the design, management and replicability of the proposed technology.
HOLOSS ROLE:
SUNSON uses Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental impacts of its Concentrated Power Solar (CSP) solutions, identifying sustainability improvements under HOLOSS leadership.
HOLOSS uses Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodologies to evaluate the economic viability of SUNSON's solutions, ensuring financial optimisation.
Social Life Cycle Assessment (s-LCA), which reinforces sustainability integration with HOLOSS expertise, measures the social impacts of CSP technologies.
HOLOSS conducts Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) studies to evaluate SUNSON's CSP solutions holistically.
Inclusivity and diversity principles are integrated into SUNSON, ensuring gender balance through HOLOSS initiatives.