IEA SHC Task 64 – SHIP on Solar Heat in Industrial Processes

Solar process heating can technically and economically supply up to 4% of the total industrial heating demand and by this contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions in this sector. Despite many national and international initiatives in the field of solar process heat and a great deal of technological progress, growth in market volume is far below this potential.

The question is what steps are necessary to release this potential.

The main objective of the task is to identify, verify and promote the role of SHIP systems as both, a monovalent supply technology and part of an integrated energy supply system. Instead of concentrating on component development, the overall system will be considered at process temperatures from just above the ambient temperature up to approx. 400°C-500°C. The system will be designed as an integrated energy system.
Open research questions are the standardisation of integration concepts on process and supply level and the optimized combination with other efficient heat supply technologies such as CHP, heat pumps or power-to-heat. The integration of solar energy into a hybrid energy supply system must be completed by optimized energy storage management taking into account various thermal storage technologies. On this basis, solar energy can become a reliable component of the future industrial heat supply in industrial systems.

Important results from the present Task 64 will be:

• preparation of a guideline for a simplified and standardized design and integration of SHIP in industrial energy supply systems
• definition of design rules for sub- and overall system components for SHIP in the integrated industrial energy system
• evaluation of the system concepts by means of cross-technology system KPIs
• development of a guideline for the market penetration of SHIP and integrated energy systems
• promotion of innovative and holistic approaches in the investment evaluation of SHIP (as LCOH) linked to tailor-made and innovative financing schemes
• promotion of SHIP innovations in the international research community and tailor-made marketing packages for the various interest groups and stakeholders.