This paper presents an update on the status of the EU-funded H2020 project SOLARSCO2OL, with the main target and accomplished project objectives and deliverables. SOLARSCO2OL is dedicated to demonstrating a 2 MW supercritical CO2 (sCO2) cycle utilizing heat derived from molten salts within a solar facility, namely the Evora Molten Salt Platform (EMSP), in Portugal. SOLARSCO2OL will be the first MW scale EU sCO2 power block that will be coupled with an existing molten salt parabolic trough collector system featuring high-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage (TES). The demo plant will include a molten salt electric heater, boosting the salt temperatures before they enter into the salt-to-sCO2 primary heater, ensuring a Turbine Inlet Temperature (TIT) of 565 °C. Successful demonstration of sCO2 power block and molten salt loop components at MW scale, along with complete system integration, marks a pivotal stride toward more competitive and efficient CSP plants in the short term, capitalizing on existing commercially viable molten salt CSP plants. Driven by an industry-oriented consortium, SOLARSCO2OL seeks to advance this concept's marketability by 2030. This is explored through feasibility studies for scaling up, environmental and social analyses, and encouragement of business cases within the EU. The project was initiated in October 2020 but experienced a suspension from March 2022 to February 2023 due to financial constraints. This paper focuses on the engineering, design and integration aspects of the new demonstration plant now located in Evora, Portugal. The initial phase, centered around design optimization, has been successfully completed, and the project's current focus is on tasks like manufacturing, prototype testing, detailed engineering, procurement, and installation. The concluding phase will be the operation of the demo. The demonstration campaign is projected to conclude by the end of 2025.
QC 20241023