Clean energy innovator Vast Renewables has achieved a breakthrough with the successful launch of a first-of-its-kind concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) receiver tower.
Designed and manufactured in Goodna, Queensland, the receiver tower is the final component of Vast’s next-generation clean energy solution to be built and tested at operational scale.
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The technology is set to be deployed at Vast’s Port Augusta Green Energy Hub to power South Australia’s grid and green fuels production. The milestone reinforces Vast’s readiness to deliver solutions with best-in-class performance and is an important step toward financial close for Vast Solar 1 (VS1), the company’s 30MW utility scale reference project with 8 hours of storage.
Vast’s award winning solution is set to be deployed at utility-scale at VS1 to deliver energy into the national grid, and to partly power a world-first co-located renewable methanol production facility. Methanol has the potential to decarbonise shipping and is already being used to power major container vessels.
Vast’s receiver tower design will deliver more efficient, lower cost and lower risk dispatchable clean energy on demand, outperforming any solution in market today. The receiver tower is modular and repeatable with a simple supply chain, which Vast believes will facilitate rapid construction onsite and straightforward commissioning. The design also reduces energy losses and has limited moving parts to deliver reliable long-term performance.
Vast CEO Craig Wood said, “This innovation in our receiver tower is driving even greater performance from our clean energy solution.
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“By harnessing Australia’s abundant natural resources, our projects aim to spark the growth of a domestic CSP industry while creating export opportunities to deliver Australian green technology to clean energy projects worldwide. We’re proud of the breakthroughs we’ve achieved, and the immense potential our technology has to play a vital role in the world’s decarbonisation efforts.”
Vast’s patented technology is designed and made in Australia, creating highly skilled green jobs and supporting Australia’s goal to be a renewable energy superpower with significant export opportunities.
