Dairy Waste-to-Bioenergy via Integration of Concentrating Solar Power and High Temperature Conversion Process

Hyperlight Energy is developing a novel concentrated solar power reflector and receiver system called Hylux™ that can generate electricity or provide process heat. The reflector system consists of a water-borne, extruded plastic tube structure upon which flat glass mirror slats are mounted. Simple links connect arrays of these tubes and control the alignment of the mirrors and track the sun throughout the day. Using low-cost, long-life plastic, and minimizing the use of steel and concrete, significant cost savings can be achieved. This project sought to integrate concentrated solar power and Genifuel Corporation’s hydrothermal processing system for the first time to convert wet biomass, such as dairy manure, into renewable crude oil and natural gas, and to move the two technologies through the final stages of development in preparation for commercial deployment. Initial testing of a Hylux™ pilot production line and a reflector array was conducted at Hyperlight’s facility in Lakeside, California, followed by limited on-sun testing of an array at the company’s Brawley, California test site. Subsequently a half-acre array, consisting of the receiver subsystem designed and built in this project, was manufactured, installed, and tested in Brawley. Thermal efficiency achieved in this project testing has been 60 percent to 85 percent. Issues in manufacturing, logistics, and installation were identified. Design improvements to make the manufacturing and installation processes simpler and more robust have been identified and planned for the future. Importantly, the level of performance so far supports economical installation at customer sites under existing commercial grant programs for both the Hylux™ and Genifuel hydrothermal processing systems. However, it is not clear that a significant market exists at present for integrated concentrated solar power and hydrothermal processing systems.