As part of the 5hine project, the TU Dortmund examined the possible uses of 5G technology in solar thermal power plants. These power plants, also known as concentrated solar power (CSP), use tens of thousands of motorized mirrors to direct solar rays to a central receiver that converts the energy into electricity or chemical processes. This technology enables, among other things, the production of CO2-neutral fuel for aviation.
Controlling the mirrors, so-called heliostats, requires reliable communication solutions. To date, expensive and maintenance-intensive cable networks have mostly been used for this purpose. The 5hine project examined the extent to which 5G networks could represent a more cost-effective and flexible alternative.
The research showed that 5G technology can effectively meet the communication requirements in CSP power plants by supporting both many low data rate heliostats and high data rate applications such as calibration drones. These results were presented to the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy, Mona Neubaur, in May 2024.
Source: 5G.NRW
