ConSolar

ConSolar - an Israeli Industrial Consortium committed to developing applicable concentrated solar energy technologies
A short review of the consortium's activities after their conclusion



Gideon Carmel
ConSolar Program Manager
Magnet Program Management
Chief Scientist office
Israeli Ministry of Industry & Trade.

Established in July 1995, Consolar Ltd., an Israeli Industrial Consortium of four industries and three academy members, has been engaged in generic industrial technological development of concentrated solar energy utilization.
Consolar has been supported by the special MAGNET Program of the Chief Scientist Office at the Ministry of Industry & Trade. The four programs, in which the Consortium has been engaged, had all been initially developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS), a member of ConSolar, and were supported at the time by the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, now part of the Ministry of National Infrastructures.
  1. One of the four programs is developing the unique Beam- Down Reflective Tower concept, intended for utilizing multi-megawatt Central Solar Power Plants, where hot air at 1,300 oC and 20 atm., directly drives modern gas turbine generators. This is done in either direct or in combined cycle power plant configurations, usually in a hybrid support of natural gas fuel, where fuel is available. And in the future, it can be done by incorporating alternately high temperature phase-change energy storage, when conventional fuel is not readily available at the site. A 500 kWt scale pilot facility, representing this technology, is undergoing final hot testing at WIS Solar Tower Complex. The partners to this project are ORMAT Industries, ROTEM Industries and WIS.
    2. The BOEING Corporation has been collaborating with ConSolar relevant members: ROTEM, ORMAT and WIS in the utilization of this technology, under a separate joint program for technological development between Israel and the USA.
  2. The second program is developing “small”, under 100 kWe, solar facilities intended primarily for off-grid applications.
    3. This technology is based on concentrator photovoltaic facilities, where efficiencies of 20% or more, have been achieved in a 4 kWe test scale configuration. The partners to this project are: MLM Division of the Israel Aircraft Industry and Tel-Aviv University. MLM is now engaged in improving the product and in marketing efforts.
  3. The third program addresses the development of solar thermal energy driven facilities, involving "small" Solar Tower and Dish Concentrator options and a Solar Energy driven Gas Turbine Generator. With power capability of up to 75 kWe, this technology is intended for off-grid applications using fuel for hybrid operations. A prototype facility will be tested by the end of 2001. The partners to this project are: EDIG Industry, ROTEM and WIS.
  4. The fourth program involves a solar-pumped laser technological development for communication, energy transmission and for industrial photochemical applications. The early use planned for utilization is the less-costly production of substances, for medical applications, in which the involved industry is already a worldwide supplier. The partners to this program are: ROTEM Industries and Ben-Gurion University.
ConSolar ended its activity under the auspices of MAGNET, at the end of 2000. However, ConSolar still exists and its partners continue to improve products technology, test their facilities and advance their marketing endeavors.
ConSolar Home Page
Comments to: Aaron Shohet
conram@consortia.org.il

Tel: +972-3-6703088
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