Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application: a review

Rohitha Weerasinghe; Mina Mortazavi; Praveen Moonasinghe; Vladan Velisavljevic; K. Hinchliffe; J. Fenton

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19

Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application: a review

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

The role of thermal energy storage (TES) is critical in addressing the intermittency of solar energy, enabling continuous power generation in solar thermal power plants. The present paper TES options for a 20 kWe Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)-based solar thermal power plant that is to be commissioned in Sri Lanka developed under the Innovate UK project RESORCS (Off-Grid Renewable Energy Production and Storage). The study explores sensible heat, latent heat, and thermochemical storage technologies, with a focus on commercially available options such as molten salts, water-based systems, and phase change materials (PCMs). HiTEC salt and Na-Li nitrate eutectic salts are optimal TES solutions for low- to medium-temperature applications, offering low melting points, high specific heat capacities, and robust energy densities. Performance analysis at 200 °C and 220 °C confirms their thermal stability and efficiency. Preliminary calculations support 24-hour plant operation but emphasize the need for further modeling to account for system thermal losses. This analysis provides a framework for selecting an efficient, cost-effective TES medium to ensure reliable off-grid energy production with an ORC system.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Clean Energy Research - Now and in the Future
Editors	Lin Chen
Publisher	Springer Nature
Pages	187-199
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Print)	9783031993114
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19
Publication status	Published - 20 Oct 2025
Event	10th International Conference on Advances in Clean Energy Research, ICACER 2025 - Nice, France Duration: 7 Apr 2025 → 9 Apr 2025

Publication series

Name	Green Energy and Technology
ISSN (Print)	1865-3529
ISSN (Electronic)	1865-3537

Conference

Conference	10th International Conference on Advances in Clean Energy Research, ICACER 2025
Country/Territory	France
City	Nice
Period	7/04/25 → 9/04/25

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

thermal energy storage
Thermal Energy Storage
Organic Rankine Cycle
Solar Thermal power plant

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Research Themes

Renewable Energy Engineering

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19

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Cite this

Weerasinghe, R., Mortazavi, M., Moonasinghe, P., Velisavljevic, V., Hinchliffe, K., & Fenton, J. (2025). Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application: a review. In L. Chen (Ed.), Clean Energy Research - Now and in the Future (pp. 187-199). (Green Energy and Technology). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19

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title = "Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application: a review",

abstract = "The role of thermal energy storage (TES) is critical in addressing the intermittency of solar energy, enabling continuous power generation in solar thermal power plants. The present paper TES options for a 20 kWe Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)-based solar thermal power plant that is to be commissioned in Sri Lanka developed under the Innovate UK project RESORCS (Off-Grid Renewable Energy Production and Storage). The study explores sensible heat, latent heat, and thermochemical storage technologies, with a focus on commercially available options such as molten salts, water-based systems, and phase change materials (PCMs). HiTEC salt and Na-Li nitrate eutectic salts are optimal TES solutions for low- to medium-temperature applications, offering low melting points, high specific heat capacities, and robust energy densities. Performance analysis at 200 °C and 220 °C confirms their thermal stability and efficiency. Preliminary calculations support 24-hour plant operation but emphasize the need for further modeling to account for system thermal losses. This analysis provides a framework for selecting an efficient, cost-effective TES medium to ensure reliable off-grid energy production with an ORC system.",

keywords = "thermal energy storage, Thermal Energy Storage, Organic Rankine Cycle, Solar Thermal power plant",

author = "Rohitha Weerasinghe and Mina Mortazavi and Praveen Moonasinghe and Vladan Velisavljevic and K. Hinchliffe and J. Fenton",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.; 10th International Conference on Advances in Clean Energy Research, ICACER 2025 ; Conference date: 07-04-2025 Through 09-04-2025",

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Weerasinghe, R , Mortazavi, M , Moonasinghe, P , Velisavljevic, V, Hinchliffe, K & Fenton, J 2025, Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application: a review. in L Chen (ed.), Clean Energy Research - Now and in the Future. Green Energy and Technology, Springer Nature, pp. 187-199, 10th International Conference on Advances in Clean Energy Research, ICACER 2025, Nice, France, 7/04/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19

Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application: a review. / Weerasinghe, Rohitha ; Mortazavi, Mina ; Moonasinghe, Praveen et al.
Clean Energy Research - Now and in the Future. ed. / Lin Chen. Springer Nature, 2025. p. 187-199 (Green Energy and Technology).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application

T2 - 10th International Conference on Advances in Clean Energy Research, ICACER 2025

AU - Weerasinghe, Rohitha

AU - Mortazavi, Mina

AU - Moonasinghe, Praveen

AU - Velisavljevic, Vladan

AU - Hinchliffe, K.

AU - Fenton, J.

PY - 2025/10/20

Y1 - 2025/10/20

N2 - The role of thermal energy storage (TES) is critical in addressing the intermittency of solar energy, enabling continuous power generation in solar thermal power plants. The present paper TES options for a 20 kWe Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)-based solar thermal power plant that is to be commissioned in Sri Lanka developed under the Innovate UK project RESORCS (Off-Grid Renewable Energy Production and Storage). The study explores sensible heat, latent heat, and thermochemical storage technologies, with a focus on commercially available options such as molten salts, water-based systems, and phase change materials (PCMs). HiTEC salt and Na-Li nitrate eutectic salts are optimal TES solutions for low- to medium-temperature applications, offering low melting points, high specific heat capacities, and robust energy densities. Performance analysis at 200 °C and 220 °C confirms their thermal stability and efficiency. Preliminary calculations support 24-hour plant operation but emphasize the need for further modeling to account for system thermal losses. This analysis provides a framework for selecting an efficient, cost-effective TES medium to ensure reliable off-grid energy production with an ORC system.

AB - The role of thermal energy storage (TES) is critical in addressing the intermittency of solar energy, enabling continuous power generation in solar thermal power plants. The present paper TES options for a 20 kWe Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)-based solar thermal power plant that is to be commissioned in Sri Lanka developed under the Innovate UK project RESORCS (Off-Grid Renewable Energy Production and Storage). The study explores sensible heat, latent heat, and thermochemical storage technologies, with a focus on commercially available options such as molten salts, water-based systems, and phase change materials (PCMs). HiTEC salt and Na-Li nitrate eutectic salts are optimal TES solutions for low- to medium-temperature applications, offering low melting points, high specific heat capacities, and robust energy densities. Performance analysis at 200 °C and 220 °C confirms their thermal stability and efficiency. Preliminary calculations support 24-hour plant operation but emphasize the need for further modeling to account for system thermal losses. This analysis provides a framework for selecting an efficient, cost-effective TES medium to ensure reliable off-grid energy production with an ORC system.

KW - thermal energy storage

KW - Thermal Energy Storage

KW - Organic Rankine Cycle

KW - Solar Thermal power plant

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105040369600

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-99312-1_19

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9783031993114

T3 - Green Energy and Technology

SP - 187

EP - 199

BT - Clean Energy Research - Now and in the Future

A2 - Chen, Lin

PB - Springer Nature

Y2 - 7 April 2025 through 9 April 2025

ER -

Thermal energy storage solutions for off-grid solar thermal power plant application: a review

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Research Themes

Access to Document

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