A major European effort to modernize concentrated solar power (CSP) plants has officially begun, with the SUN-DT project beginning work in October 2025.
The project, supported by Horizon Europe and bringing together nine international organizations coordinated by the Spanish National Center for Renewable Energy (CENER), aims to accelerate the digital transition of tower CSP systems and strengthen Europe’s leadership in next-generation renewable energy.
Joerg Widmer, lead researcher on the project and research director at IMDEA Networks, explains: “SUN-DT propels tower CSP technology into the fully digital era.
“The combination of AI-based calibration, predictive maintenance and real-time optimization will enable plants to operate more efficiently and reliably than ever before. This project strengthens Europe’s technological leadership in renewable energy.”
Modernizing Tower CSP Technology
Tower CSP plants rely on a vast field of heliostats, mirrors that track the sun and focus the beam onto a receiver mounted atop a central tall tower.
The heat captured there generates the high temperatures needed to generate electricity.
As this technology expands around the world, CSP plants become increasingly complex, requiring perfect synchronization between thousands of heliostats, high-temperature receivers, and thermal storage systems.
That complexity makes digitalization essential to increase operational efficiency, reduce light loss, and lower overall costs.
Europe is facing intensifying international competition as more regions are building new tower facilities.
SUN-DT was established to bridge this digital gap and ensure that European-made CSP systems remain cutting-edge, cost-competitive and aligned with the goals of the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan.
IMDEA Networks provides 5G-enabled solar sector intelligence
IMDEA Networks, one of the consortium’s core partners, is leading the development of a 5G communications layer that supports accurate heliostat characterization and calibration.
This wireless infrastructure is essential to scaling the technology as it enables high-capacity data links across large solar fields, real-time monitoring of mirror operation, and fast feedback loops that allow operators to instantly correct misalignment.
IMDEA’s long-standing expertise in wireless sensing, network architectures, and experimental testbeds and the support of facilities such as the NEXTONIC laboratory will enable teams to design and validate communication systems under realistic operational scenarios.
Their contributions will ensure the implementation of advanced control strategies in operational CSP plants.
Digital toolkit designed for smarter CSP plants
At the core of SUN-DT is a suite of interoperable digital tools created to modernize every layer of tower CSP operations.
The system includes automatic heliostat calibration software, a digital twin for real-time decision making, an energy delivery optimization engine, and predictive maintenance capabilities.
Together, these tools aim to improve solar power plant performance, minimize downtime, reduce operating and maintenance costs, and enable CSPs to more actively participate in grid support services.
The integration toolkit is delivered through an integrated SUN-DT platform that integrates data, analysis, and optimization techniques into a single operational environment.
This approach is designed to not only improve the efficiency of existing plants, but also reduce the implementation costs of future CSP projects.
Global testing at a commercial tower plant
To validate its results, SUN-DT will undergo rigorous testing at two experimental facilities and two major commercial tower CSP plants: Ki Solar One in South Africa and Cerro Dominador in Chile.
These sites are operated by consortium partners COX and ACCIONA and represent a variety of design configurations and provide ideal conditions to demonstrate performance improvements in real-world environments.
One of the most promising results of this project is an automatic calibration system that can detect heliostat misalignment when it occurs.
Instead of performing comprehensive maintenance, operators intervene only when necessary, significantly reducing time spent in the field while increasing optical efficiency.
SUN-DT ultimately aims to bring tower CSP plants into the fully digital era, increasing reliability, reducing operating costs, and increasing the global competitiveness of renewable solar thermal energy.
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