Solar Euromed
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Concentrated solar power technology |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Defunct | 2016 |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Concentrated solar power systems with direct steam generation and thermal energy storage |
Solar Euromed was a French firm specializing in advanced concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies, operating between 2007 and 2016.
The enterprise engineered proprietary solar thermal power solutions designed to generate heat for electricity production and various industrial uses. These systems incorporated energy storage capabilities to provide power on demand, including periods after sunset. Their approach, centered on direct steam generation combined with linear Fresnel optics, was developed in partnership with the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission.
History
Solar Euromed played an active role in advancing CSP technology across Europe:
- In 2007, it initiated the Solenha project, contributing to enhanced environmental impact assessments of parabolic trough systems.
- By 2009, the company launched a technology development initiative supported by funding from the French innovation agency Oseo and the European Union. This effort culminated in a Fresnel-based pilot facility at the Themis solar energy research center in the Pyrenees.
- In 2010, Solar Euromed secured a 2 GW contract with Sudan for the development, construction, and operation of CSP plants over ten years, followed by a power purchase agreement covering the initial 250 MW capacity.
- In 2011, it obtained authorization to build France’s largest solar thermal plant in Corsica, aimed at demonstrating its Fresnel-based technology at a commercial scale.
- The company entered administration in September 2015 and was ultimately liquidated by September 2016.
Concentrated solar power
CSP systems focus sunlight to heat a working fluid to elevated temperatures, transforming this thermal energy into mechanical energy and subsequently into electricity. Harnessing solar radiation as a free and emission-free resource, CSP provides an environmentally friendly and sustainable method for generating clean, renewable electricity.
CSP is an established technology with initial deployment dating back to the 1980s in California, driven by federal and state incentives alongside long-term power contracts. A subsequent drop in fossil fuel prices led to reduced policy backing; however, the market revived around 2006 in Spain and the United States due to supportive renewable energy policies emphasizing solar power. CSP produces electricity without emitting GHG emissions, enabling large-scale generation. When combined with thermal storage, CSP plants can address intermittency issues by delivering power during evening peak periods and nighttime hours. Hybrid configurations incorporating gas or biomass facilitate electricity production beyond daylight hours. While mainly utilized for grid-connected power generation, CSP also addresses niche sectors such as water desalination, off-grid electrification, combined heat and power systems, industrial process heating, oil & gas pumping operations, and solar fuels manufacturing.
Technology
Solar Euromed’s approach utilized elongated mirror strips capable of pivoting to concentrate sunlight onto a stationary absorber tube positioned along the focal axis. A secondary reflector enhanced heat concentration and promoted uniform temperature distribution, reaching levels up to 450 °C. Their design incorporated extensive Fresnel reflector arrays with high-temperature direct steam generation, integrated thermal energy storage, elevated mounting structures that permitted agricultural activity beneath the mirrors, and recyclable materials aimed at reducing environmental impact.
Technology Benefits
The Fresnel system delivers superior land-use efficiency within CSP technologies due to its compact layout and effective use of space beneath support frameworks. It offers cost advantages through modular construction potential. The design employs flat or minimally curved mirrors and supports Direct Steam Generation, thereby removing the need for costly heat transfer fluids and heat exchangers. Operations and maintenance are simplified, helping maintain moderate overall expenses.
Pilot Facility
Collaborating with premier French research institutions (CNRS and CEA), Solar Euromed established a fully instrumented megawatt-scale pilot installation named Augustin Fresnel 1 located in the French Pyreneans, validating this innovative technology.
Alba Nova 1
Situated in Ghisonaccia, Corsica, Alba Nova 1 serves as Solar Euromed's demonstration facility for CSP, holding an approved construction permit for a net power capacity of 12 MW. This installation is capable of supplying electricity to around 10,000 homes. Acting as a transitional step between the pilot stage and future expansion across the MENA region, it represents the first CSP project authorized in France in more than three decades. The plant highlights the operational efficiency and economic viability of Solar Euromed’s unique Fresnel technology. Due to Corsica's island status, the project faces distinct energy challenges, such as restricted grid connectivity, environmental preservation requirements, fire hazard mitigation, and the phase-out of two existing fossil-fueled thermal power stations.