Norwegian research firm Sintef and Norwegian floating PV specialist Svalin Solar are currently developing a floating concentrating photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) receiver for use in carbon capture facilities. "The energy requirement for CO2 removal is perhaps the most dominant factor driving solvent-based post-combustion capture technology," he told magazine pv chief business developer company Sintef Martin Bellmann. "Essentially, any technology that significantly reduces the so-called reboiler duty - energy consumption for CO2 stripping - is in high demand." Both companies described the new technology as a solar carbon capture system that either fully or partially generates the thermal energy needed to separate the gas. "The proposed CPVT design is a single-axis 'linear pass' tracking system where rows of curved mirrors are mechanically rotated so that the longitudinal direction of the mirrors is always parallel to the incident sunlight and follows the daily motion of the sun," added Bellmann. "Concentration ratios of around 10 suns are possible." The CPVT receiver is based on a pipe on which the solar cell strips are attached. The small area of the CPVT receiver allows the use of highly efficient PV cells. "Although these photovoltaic cells are more expensive, the cost can be offset by the smaller area required," explained Bellmann. “Conventional crystalline silicon and multi-junction cells need to be considered. Then the price/performance ratio will be assessed once the prototype is put into operation and we have collected enough data from the test trials. (Emiliano Bellini)