National Solar Thermal Test Facility assists Heliogen’s advanced control software demonstration

Sandia National Laboratories’ National Solar Thermal Test Facility recently conducted tests of Heliogen, Inc.’s proprietary automated control system. The project, funded by the Department of Energy’s Technology Commercialization Fund, signifies progress in concentrating solar energy research and provides third-party validation data that is essential to Heliogen’s software licensing potential.

“The NSTTF at Sandia was a perfect place to prove that Heliogen’s software is equally effective at automated control of a multi-facet heliostat field as a single facet heliostat field,” said Margaret Gordon, Concentrating Solar Power Manager at the NSTTF. “Automated control and correction is the next frontier in heliostat control, and in the next generation of concentrating solar energy that will make installations more efficient and generate renewable energy more cheaply. Our engineers were excited to work with Heliogen to demonstrate this advancement.”

The project was designed to evaluate potential improvements in the operation of concentrating solar power facilities. In a recent test, Heliogen’s closed-loop software was deployed on third-party heliostats, marking a first in the industry. The technology is pivotal in detecting optical inaccuracies and initiating autonomous correction, which can considerably improve the efficiency of existing CSP plants worldwide.

Heliogen is a renewable energy technology company focused on decarbonizing industry and empowering a sustainable civilization. The company’s concentrating solar energy and thermal storage systems aim to deliver carbon-free heat, steam, power, or green hydrogen at scale to support round-the-clock industrial operations.

Learn more about the Concentrating Solar Power program’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility.

Read Heliogen’s complete press release.