Development, production and construction of decentralized solar thermal parabolic trough power plants with direct steam generation for electricity and process heat.

Solarlite CSP Technology GmbH

Schloss Duckwitz, 17179 Duckwitz · Hansestr. 21, 18182 BentwischNew on Amplifa

500 kWe to > 30 MWeElectrical output of the power plants

2Locations in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

HRB 10783 (GmbH), HRB 16840 (UG), bothCommercial register

4Product families of parabolic trough collectors (SL 2300, SL

About Solarlite

Solarlite develops, produces and builds decentralized solar thermal parabolic trough power plants (Concentrated Solar Power) for generating electricity or process heat for industrial applications. The company is the first worldwide to commercially deploy direct steam generation (DSG) of water in a power plant, thereby replacing the traditionally used thermal oil, which is more efficient, more cost-effective and more environmentally friendly. The parabolic trough collectors (SL 2300, SL 4600, SL 5770) are made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic (composite) with thin-glass or thick-glass mirrors and minimized steel construction; they achieve operating temperatures up to 500 °C with an optical efficiency of up to 75 %. The power plants have an electrical output of 500 kWe to over 30 MWe and are suitable for combined heat and power, absorption cooling and seawater desalination as well as hybrid combination with biomass, geothermal energy or fossil fuels. Headquarters and manufacturing are located at Schloss Duckwitz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; another location of Solarlite Beteiligungs UG is in Bentwisch near Rostock.

Site: Duckwitz
Processes: Direct steam generation of water/steam in solar thermal parabolic trough power plants (DSG), Manufacture of parabolic trough collectors from glass-fiber composite material with thin-glass, Production of the SL 4600 parabolic trough collector for operating temperatures up to 500 °C, Erection and installation of solar thermal power plants (combined heat and power, hybrid with, Control of the collectors (automatic tracking via GPS-supported software, hydraulic, Planning and construction of solar thermal parabolic trough power plants (CSP), Direct steam generation (DSG) instead of thermal oil, Process heat generation for industry
Materials: Glass-fiber composite material, Thin glass, Thick-glass mirror, Steel, Vacuum receiver, Glass-fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), Aluminum (reflective layer), Composite epoxy resin with glass
Certificates: DSG pilot projects (Thailand, Germany), Research cooperation with DLR (DUKE)
Industries: Energy supply/energy generation, Industry (process heat), Hotels/tourism, Food production, Textile industry, Water treatment/desalination

01
Engineering and development of the collectors
02
Manufacture of the composite panels (glass-fiber composite with thin glass)
03
Assembly of the collector modules (12 m collector, 120 m module)
04
Planning and construction of the power plants
05
On-site erection and installation
06
Automated tracking via GPS-supported software and hydraulics

Materials and Processes

FRP

Glass-fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP)

Composite material for lightweight, stiff parabolic trough panels with reduced costs for construction, transport and maintenance.

DSG

Direct steam generation (DSG)

Commercial use of direct steam generation of water instead of thermal oil at up to 500 °C operating temperature.

DSG-2.0

Direct steam generation 2.0

Joint research project DUKE with DLR to test the flow path concept under real conditions.

GFK-Epoxid

Composite epoxy resin with glass

Stiff and lightweight panel material in combination with a high-gloss aluminum reflective layer.

Dünnschichtglas

Thin-glass mirror

Reflects more than 95 % of solar radiation onto the receiver tube in the focal line.

Dickglas

Thick-glass mirror

Mirror material used in the SL 4600/SL 5770 collectors.

Alu-Refl.

Aluminum (reflective layer)

Highly reflective layer in the SL 2300 with a reflectance coefficient of up to 88 %.

Stahl

Steel

Minimized steel construction for the structure and wind resistance of the collectors.

VacRec

Vacuum receiver

Absorber tube in the focal line for absorbing the concentrated heat.

Locations

Duckwitz

Headquarters and manufacturing (Schloss Duckwitz)

Part weight / size: Collector module up to 120 m in length, aperture up to 5.77
Lot size: Power plant sizes 500 kWe to > 30 MWe, modular design
Materials: Glass-fiber composite, thin glass, thick glass, steel, vacuum receiver

Bentwisch

Location of Solarlite Beteiligungs UG

Products and Components

**Parabolic Trough Collector SL 5770**Glass-fiber composite with thin glass · solar thermal/power plant construction

**Parabolic Trough Collector SL 4600**Composite with thin glass · solar thermal/power plant construction

**Process Heat Plant**Parabolic trough technology · industry/process heat

**Solar Thermal Power Plant**Parabolic trough power plant · energy generation

Inside the production

Use of solar energy with parabolic trough technology

Technology of the parabolic trough collectors

Research and development (including projects with DLR)

Industries

Energy supply/energy generationIndustry (process heat)Hotels/tourismFood productionTextile industryWater treatment/desalination

Processes & technical limits

Processes	Tolerance	Max. part	Weight	Lot size	Materials
Direct steam generation of water/steam in solar thermal parabolic trough power plants (DSG)Engineering	–	120 m (collector module) × 5.77 m (aperture SL 5770) / 4.6 m (SL	–	Power plant output 500 kWe to >30 MWe	Water/steam (heat transfer medium)
Manufacture of parabolic trough collectors from glass-fiber composite material with thin-glassPlastics	–	12 m (collector) × 5.77 m	–	–	Glass-fiber composite, Thin glass, Thick-glass mirror, Steel, Vacuum receiver, Glass-fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), Aluminum
Production of the SL 4600 parabolic trough collector for operating temperatures up to 500 °CEngineering	–	12 m × 4.6 m	–	–	Glass-fiber composite material, Thin glass
Erection and installation of solar thermal power plants (combined heat and power, hybrid withAssembly	–	–	–	–	–
Control of the collectors (automatic tracking via GPS-supported software, hydraulicEngineering	–	–	–	–	–

Additional services

Planning and construction of solar thermal parabolic trough power plants (CSP)Direct steam generation (DSG) instead of thermal oilProcess heat generation for industryCombined heat and powerAbsorption cooling/air conditioningSeawater desalinationEngineering services/research (projects with DLR, e.g. DUKE)

Reference customers

Heineken, SevilleADPO, AntwerpPoviron, BelgiumErlebnishof, BerlinDEG CSP, India

Research, Development and Awards

The technology was tested in pilot projects in Thailand and Germany and further developed in research cooperations with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), among others in the DUKE project. The company has received multiple awards, including the STEP Award 2011, CSP Today Newcomer of the Year (nomination 2010) and the National Energy Globe Award Thailand 2012.

Evidence	Duckwitz
DSG pilot projects (Thailand, Germany)
Research cooperation with DLR (DUKE)

History

2010
Nominated as 'Newcomer of the Year' at CSP Today.
2011
STEP Award winner in the categories 'Product/Technology' and 'Sustainability'; completion of the TSE 1 plant in Kanchanaburi, Thailand – the first commercial parabolic trough power plant with direct steam generation.
2012
Insolvency according to Wikipedia as a result of the market shift toward photovoltaics and missed customer payments; awarded the National Energy Globe Award Thailand.
2013
Refounded on 01.01.2013 as Solarlite CSP Technology GmbH with the same CEO Dr. Joachim Krüger.