French energy company backs Vast’s concentrated solar power

Vast Solar’s rollout plans for concentrated solar power (CSP) plants have been given a boost with French energy company EDF Group committing $16.4 million (Euros 10 million) to develop new projects.

Vast is developing a number of Australian projects, including the SM1 solar methanol plant at Port Augusta in South Australia, utilising heat and power from VS1, a first-of-a-kind 30 MW / 288 MWh concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the same city.

SM1 will produce up to 7,500 tonnes per annum of green methanol.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has approved $65 million in funding for VS1, and additional support of $19.4 million is coming from a Australian-German collaboration fund, HyGATE.

According to EDF’s Australian country manager James Katsikas: “The EDF Group is committed to building a net zero energy future with electricity and innovative solutions and services, to help save the planet and drive wellbeing and economic development.

“We support that mission statement by spending over A$1 Billion annually on research and development.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of accelerating the commercialisation of cutting-edge technologies like Vast’s CSP 3.0.”

EDF assessed CSP 3.0 as uniquely capable of decarbonising hard to abate industrial sectors, by providing long duration heat energy storage and generation.

“We look forward to collaborating with Vast and believe this arrangement has the potential to accelerate Australia’s transition towards clean energy production and consumption.”

Worley has been awarded key engineering contracts for the VS1 CSP project.

Further reading:
Vast Solar’s concentrated solar go ahead follows solar methanol plant
Vast Solar gets Australia and German backing for methanol project

Picture: Vast Solar/VS1