Commercialization of High-Temperature Solar Selective Coating: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-08-300

The goal for Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies is to produce electricity at 15 cents/kilowatt-hour (kWh) with six hours of thermal storage in 2015 (intermediate power) and close to 10 cents/kWh with 12-17 hours of thermal storage in 2020 (baseload power). Cost reductions of up to 50% to the solar concentrator are targeted through technology advances. The overall solar-to-electricefficiency of parabolic-trough solar power plants can be improved and the cost of solar electricity can be reduced by improving the properties of the selective coating on the receiver and increasing the solar-field operating temperature to >450 degrees C. New, more-efficient selective coatings will be needed that have both high solar absorptance and low thermal emittance at elevated temperatures. Conduction and convection losses from the hot absorber surface are usually negligible for parabolic trough receivers. The objective is to develop new, more-efficient selective coatings with both high solar absorptance (..alpha.. > 0.95) and low thermal emittance (..epsilon.. < 0.08 @ 450 degrees C) that are thermally stable above 450 degrees C, ideally in air, with improved durability andmanufacturability, and reduced cost.