Solarlite

Solarlite CSP Technology GmbH, located in Mecklenburg-Pomerania, Germany, develops and builds decentralized solar-thermal parabolic trough power plants (CSP – Concentrated Solar Power) and process heat plants. For the first time worldwide, Solarlite is using direct steam generation commercially in a power plant. In 2012, Solarlite declared insolvency. The company was reincorporated the next year by Joachim Krüger (CEO). Solarlite CSP Technology GmbH, located in Mecklenburg-Pomerania, Germany, develops and builds decentralized solar-thermal parabolic trough power plants (CSP – Concentrated Solar Power) and process heat plants. For the first time worldwide, Solarlite is using direct steam generation commercially in a power plant. In 2012, Solarlite declared insolvency. The company was reincorporated the next year by Joachim Krüger (CEO). Solar thermal facilities offer one of the most sustainable forms of energy recovery in terms of the environment, resources and availability. The technology has the advantage that as direct solar radiation increases, so does the efficiency of the facilities. The facilities are also characterized by a high degree of flexibility. They can be combined with all other fossil and renewable energy sources and are thus base-load capable. Another plus is the option of producing electricity and process heat at the same time or independently of one another. In addition, the residual heat can be used for further industrial applications for example desalination and cooling. Solarlite has tested the DSG concept successfully in three pilot projects in Thailand and Germany. The DSG concept is environment friendly and allows significant reductions of the total investment costs and levelized electricity cost. With DSG a higher operating temperature will be achievable. The Solarlite SL 4600 parabolic trough is a highly efficient product that can generate temperatures of up to 400 °C. Each panel has an aperture width of 4,6 m and is made of composite materials combined with an efficient thinglass mirror. This mirror reflects up to 95% of the sun's radiation onto the absorber pipe positioned at the ideal focus of the parabolic mirror. In 2012, Solarlite was forced to declare insolvency. According to BonVenture, the reason for this '...was the unexpected market shift towards photovoltaics because of the Chinese government´s subsidies policy and the non-fulfilment of contractual obligations and payments by two customers'. The company then reincorporated on January 1, 2013 as Solarlite CSP Technology GmbH with the same CEO, Joachim Krüger.