A collaborative project between researchers and industry partners is aiming to reshape Australia’s industrial energy landscape through the development of a world-first concentrated solar thermal (CST) demonstrator designed to cut reliance on fossil fuels.
Led by the University of South Australia (UniSA) in partnership with Impacts Renewable Energy Pty Ltd and Charles Sturt University (CSU), the project will fabricate and install a new solar thermal system using lightweight plastic mirrors to focus sunlight and generate heat for industrial and agricultural applications.
Backed by funding from the Federal Government’s Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite program, the initiative builds on more than a decade of UniSA research into durable, weather-resistant reflective coatings.
The result is a two-module CST demonstrator that integrates patented mirror technology developed by UniSA, providing a more affordable and transportable alternative to traditional glass-based solar systems.
According to UniSA project lead Dr Marta Llusca Jane, the CST technology is designed to meet the high-temperature needs of industries that conventional renewables struggle to supply.
“Industrial process heat accounts for a staggering 25% of global energy use and 20% of CO2 emissions,” Dr Llusca Jane said.
“Our plastic-based CST technology fills that gap and does so with significant cost and installation advantages.”
Each module in the demonstrator will consist of 16 thermoformed and coated plastic panels incorporating a multilayer aluminium-silica reflective coating developed at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute.
The coating is applied via physical vapour deposition to maximise solar reflectivity and durability.
The technology enables heat generation in the 100°C to 400°C range, suitable for various applications including food production, grain drying, sterilisation, solar desalination, wastewater treatment, and mining operations.
The first phase of the project will see the demonstrator installed and tested at CSU’s “Vineyard of the Future” research facility.
Unlike traditional CST systems, which rely on heavy and fragile glass mirrors, the new system uses durable plastic panels that can be flat-packed and easily assembled on-site, lowering transport and infrastructure costs.
Dr Llusca Jane said the AEA funding plays a pivotal role in advancing the early-stage technology. “Without this funding, the technical and financial risks of early-stage commercialisation would be too high for private investors. This demonstrator will allow us to scale the technology for real-world applications,” she said.
A second stage under the AEA’s Innovate program is planned to test a commercial-scale pilot with agribusiness and industrial partners.
According to UniSA, strong interest from national and international producers has already been recorded.
Industry Professor Colin Hall, who invented the plastic mirror coating currently used in automotive manufacturing, said the innovation aligns well with current market and climate pressures.
“We’re seeing record fossil fuel prices and increasing pressure for industries to decarbonise,” Prof Hall said.
“This CST solution is uniquely suited to Australia’s hot, dry climate and offers a viable pathway to zero-emissions process heat.”
The project team anticipates that the new solar thermal technology could reduce the cost of renewable process heat by up to 40%, while also unlocking export potential for Australian manufacturing.
“By proving this technology in the field, we are laying the foundation for a cleaner, more resilient energy system across Australia and beyond,” Dr Llusca Jane said.
