Experience, lessons learnt and next technological steps

 

Cyprus Institute Colloquia Series 2016

The colloquium will be in English, the event is open to the public, light refreshments will be served after the talk.

Speaker: Dr. Michael Geyer, Director Europe and Africa of Abengoa Solar, Spain

Southern Africa’s population and economic growth demands for significant investments in power generation, transmission and distribution infrastructures in the decades to come. South Africa has set a worldwide example with its Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer (REIPP) program, that successfully contracted over 5,200MW since 2011.
The development, construction and startup of South Africa’s first parabolic trough and solar tower plants will be presented for the following STE projects:

• 100MW Kaxu parabolic trough plant with 2.5hours molten salt storage, operating since Feb 5 2015
• 50MW Khi solar tower with superheated steam receiver an 2.5hours of steam drum storage, operating since Feb 6 2016
• 100MW Xina parabolic trough plant with new large aperture collectors and 5.5 hours molten salt storage, currently under construction

Experience gained in the technological and commercial development will be discussed and the lessons learnt in financing, constructing, commissioning and operating these STE plants will be given. The socio-economic impacts and benefits of these STE projects will be presented An outlook will be given on the next technological steps to increase STE performance and decrease generation cost in the next STE plant generations.

Dr.-Ing. Michael Geyer obtained his Physics Diploma at the University of Tübingen in 1981 and holds a Ph. D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Essen. Since 1981 his professional activities have been dedicated to the development of renewable energy systems with special emphasis on solar power plant technologies, including positions as researcher and deputy director at the German Aerospace Agency (DLR) departments in Stuttgart and the Plataforma Solar de Almeria in Spain (1981-1989), Manager for System Engineering, Research and Development at Flachglas Solartechnik and ABB (1989-1993), Professor for Energy-, Power Plant Technology and Process Technology at the Polytechnic University of Regensburg (1993-1995) and Head of DLR’s Division at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria in Spain from 1995 until 2001.
Since April 2007 he is the Director International of Abengoa Solar S.A., the solar divison of the Spanish Abengoa group (www.abengoasolar.com) and has successfully developed and implemented the Shams project in Abu Dhabi and the Khi, Kaxu and Xina projects in South Africa.
From September 2000 until March 2008 he served as the Executive Secretary of the IEA SolarPACES Implementing Agreement (www.solarpaces.org).
Since November 2007 he has been elected Vice-President of the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association ESTELA (www.estelasolar.eu).
He is author or co-author of more than 60 publications in the mentioned fields, including technical books, journals, conference papers, studies and reports.


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