SunPeek Ecosystem – Digital Twin for Solar Thermal Plant Monitoring

Solar thermal plants supply decarbonized heat for district heating and industrial use up to 400°C, cost-effectively (30–60 €/MWh) with huge untapped potential. However, unlike photovoltaics, standardized digital tools for smart operation over the 25+ year lifespan are lacking. The SunPeek Ecosystem addresses this gap. At its core is D-CAT (Dynamic Collector Array Test), enabling data-driven in-situ analysis of collector field performance using dynamic grey-box models. Model parameters reflect performance and State-of-Health of the plants. This PoC project validates key components in a virtual laboratory using real measurement data. It also refines value propositions and explores exploitation pathways such as SaaS or Digital-Twin-as-a-Service. The project prepares the foundation of a spin-off company.