INTEGRATED PLATFORM FOR ROOFTOP INSTALLATIONS OF FRESNEL COLLECTORS FOR SOLAR PROCESS HEAT GENERATION

摘要

The heat demand represents 74% of the total industrial energy demand worldwide (Solar-Payback, 2018). Solar process heat can supply a great share of this demand and provide process heat with diverse solar technologies such as the Fresnel collector. As industrial customers typically have limited ground availability, the rooftops are often the only option for the solar field installation, as represented in the project SHIP2FAIR. This article explains the main constraints for the installation of Fresnel collectors on rooftops and a novel concept of integrated lightweight platform walkways along the collector structure, overcoming a common hurdle of integration onto uneven roofs in industrial buildings. The article also presents a case study from an installation at a sugar refinery in Portugal.