Predictability and flexibility are key enablers to increase CSP penetration in the energy mix by a) increasing dispatchability b) making CSP less/not reliant on subsidies c) supporting stable grid operation d) enabling operators to access new revenue streams (electricity trading, ancillary services). Today CSP plants with molten salt storage only partly achieve these objectives. Key enabling technologies to be demonstrated and introduced in the market are 1) design and operation of molten salt once-through steam generator – This will allow fully flexible plant operation; 2) design and implementation of integrated weather forecasting and dispatch optimization – This will allow optimal management of the energy storage to maximize revenues while respecting constraints/commitments (e.g. to the grid). Towards 1), an innovative design approach is proposed, integrating process and equipment design with dynamic simulation of the system. Proven technologies in separate fields (molten salt ; once-through steam generator ; optimum control) will be for the first time integrated and demonstrated. Towards 2), different approaches to DNI forecasting (direct; mesoscale models) will be integrated to extend geographical coverage and improve reliability. Dispatch optimization under conditions of uncertainty (weather forecast) and perturbations (e.g. grid support requests) will be developed. Furthermore, automatic plant performance characterization by machine learning will be implemented to ensure a real optimum is achieved. For succesfull market introduction, a down-scale pilot will be realized. Here, integrated operation of once-through steam generator, weather forecast and dispatch optimization will be demonstrated. CSP will undergo large growth in developing markets, where grid constraints and market liberalization will play a role. Developint these key-enabling technologies will put european industries in the position to compete at the forefront in the market worldwide.

SERENDI-PV proposes innovations towards two main pillars: (1) increased lifetime, reliability, performance and profitability of PV generation; (2) utility-friendly high-penetration of the PV generation in the grids with improved stability, smart communication between stakeholders and increased knowledge of the PV fleet management. SERENDI-PV will develop advanced PV modelling, simulation and design tools, monitoring data analytics for fault diagnostic and improved O&M, as well as lab and field testing Quality Control (QC) equipment and procedures for better assessment of the reliability of PV components and systems. The innovations will be developed with particular attention to the new PV applications that are becoming increasingly relevant on the market, such as bifacial PV, floating PV and BIPV. SERENDI-PV will pave the way towards higher PV penetration through a better understanding of the PV installed capacity, smart digital models for energy and services communication exchange between system stakeholders, the development of mid-term, short-term forecasting, and nowcasting for PV system aggregations, new business models for PV added revenue, and the creation of a collaborative platform for modelling, data analytics, QC, databases and grid integration. The solutions will be developed on the data from nearly 500,000 PV installations monitored within the consortium, representing a wide range of system sizes and typologies, including large ground-mounted PV plants, mid-size commercial and industrial PV systems, and small-scale rooftop residential PV systems. The results will be achieved through an interdisciplinary approach combining the complementary expertise of the 19 different partners that take part in the consortium and that represent all the relevant stakeholders concerned by the topic of this project. The project will include several key demonstration activities in the operational environment corresponding to each one of the key innovations proposed