Key challenges advancements and gaps in hybrid technologies for polygeneration identified

The SPECTRUM project develops hybrid solar polygeneration technologies to simultaneously generate heat, electricity, hydrogen fuel, and treat industrial wastewater. This milestone report (MS5) identifies key challenges, technological advancements, and research gaps in the design of two novel solar collectors: SPECTRUM-LT (lowtemperature, ≤100°C) and SPECTRUM-HT (high-temperature, ≤200°C). These systems use spectral splitting to optimize solar energy distribution across photovoltaic, thermal, and photocatalytic processes.

This report examines critical subcomponents, including solar concentrators, thermal absorbers, spectral splitters, photocatalytic reactors, and PV modules, detailing their current state-of-the-art, technical challenges, and integration requirements. The report identifies the main methods and tools to be used during the design process, including advanced modeling and simulation tools, such as ray-tracing, finite volume analysis, and computational fluid dynamics, that will be employed to assess optical, thermal, and electrical performance.

By addressing these challenges, the findings provide a foundation for optimizing the SPECTRUM collector designs, enabling more efficient and sustainable multi-purpose solar energy applications. This report will serve as the basis of the Work Package (WP) 2 development.