Utilising Vast’s proprietary, modular tower concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) v3.0 technology, VS1 is designed to generate clean, low-cost, dispatchable power with over eight hours of thermal energy storage. The project is projected to create dozens of green manufacturing jobs, as well as hundreds of jobs during construction and long-term plant operations roles.
VS1 will be Vast’s first utility-scale project, and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has approved up to $65 million in funding for the project.
Vast has a strong track record in pioneering new tank designs and is a co-developer with Contratos y Diseños Industriales (CYD) of Flexitank, which is the subject of a pending patent application. CYD is working with Vast on early design work on VS1 and is using a first-of-its-kind Avatar Model to simulate the construction and operation of the thermal energy storage tanks that contain molten salt at high temperatures. This is a step forward for the CSP industry, with the potential to enhance the performance of molten salt storage tanks once operational.
The Avatar Model concept, developed by the CYD team, utilises a virtual model (referred to as a dynamic digital twin) that aims to create the exact dimensions of VS1’s thermal energy storage system, and allows for testing and simulation under different conditions. This helps to identify and mitigate any problems, while optimising design and performance of the tanks before they are manufactured and installed.
“We are delighted to be working with CYD and to have their extensive global experience in CSP supporting VS1,” Vast CEO Craig Wood said. “The Avatar Model’s holistic approach to the design, manufacture, construction and operation of molten salt tanks will further strengthen VS1. This innovative approach to building CSP projects is a big step forward for Vast and the whole industry.”
Sergio Dávila from CYD said “our collaboration with Vast is breaking new ground in the CSP industry. The Avatar Model has been developed using the extensive experience in the design and construction of molten salt tank technology amongst the Vast and CYD teams, supported by other leading companies and institutions. It provides an opportunity to implement learnings at an early-stage to ensure the optimal performance of thermal energy storage systems.”
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.