Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

This project aims to implement targeted advancements and demonstrate via outdoor testing a next-generation concentrating PV-thermal (CPV-T) prototype with a simple, low-cost, modular and easily-scalable design for industrial applications through this targets:

Increase thermal and electrical efficiencies of an existing CPV-T collector at TEC (now 42% and 10%) by over 30% to >55% and at least 50% to >15%, respectively, enabling significantly reduced collector areas and costs.

Increase the maximum heat-delivery temperature, currently limited to 65 ¬∞C, to well in excess of 100 ¬∞C, making the technology applicable to a wider range of applications.

For this purpose, an alliance between TEC and ICL was made in 2020. ICL group has an extensive experience in PV-T collector modeling, materials applied to this technology and techno-economic analyses of solar systems, while TEC has direct experience with concentrating PV-T technology also in the context of industrial use in Mexico.

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How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses)

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Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Worldwide energy demand continues to increase at a constant pace. In 2018, 81% of the world‚ energy was produced by fossil fuels. The excessive use of technologies that employ fossil fuels to satisfy the energy requirements of a more demanding population has increased global anthropogenic emissions of GHG to dangerous levels during the last decades.

Most developing countries located in the tropics, such as Mexico, have a huge potential for solar technologies owing to the available solar resource; however, they address key challenges with associated impacts: industrial pollution from fossil-fuel burning, poor national energy security due to fuel imports and local employment.

This proposal focuses on an efficient and affordable technology capable of harnessing the vast solar resource in Mexico to produce simultaneous power and heat. The successful implementation of this project will pave the way for the local and regional deployment of this technology in LATAM, promoting sustainable development. The technology will not only aid in the decarbonization of the industrial sector, but also provide support to vulnerable communities that are struggling with a lack of access to electricity and thermal energy resources, thereby facilitating their growth and development.

Additionally, our research has explored the capacity of the CPV-T collector to be integrated with a water desalination process. This presents a promising solution for addressing the global shortage of clean drinking water. Please refer to the study linked in Question #20.

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Mission Statement:

Our organization is made up of two prestigious universities in Latin America and Europe: the Tecnologico de Monterrey (TEC) in Mexico and Imperial College London (ICL), respectively. The project is developed at the facilities of both institutions.

TEC is a private, non-profit educational institution founded in 1943 in Monterrey Nuevo Le n, and since then it has maintained its leadership in innovative academic models. Currently, it is in 170th place in the QS World University Rankings and in 4th place in the QS Latin America University Rankings; furthermore, its Mechanical Engineering Department is in 87th place in the QS Subject Rankings. On the other hand, ICL is a world-class university, founded in 1901, with the mission of benefiting society through excellence in science, engineering, medicine and business. The College has risen one place to sixth in the QS World University Rankings 2023.