On March 20, 2025, the Powder2Power consortium gathered online for its 18-month Steering Committee and Executive Board meeting. Marking a crucial point in the project timeline, the meeting brought together 21 participants from 10 partner institutions to review technical progress, share strategic updates, and align on the next steps as the project moves toward large-scale demonstration.

Each technical Work Package shared its recent achievements and goals:

• Design and development of the particle conveying loop (WP2)

The tender process for the key components of the high temperature conveying loop has been finalized, covering the system that will enable particle circulation rates of up to 16,000 kg/h. Final CAD designs are being reviewed in coordination with CNRS to prepare for manufacturing and installation at the Themis site later this year. These developments represent a major step toward the realization of the Powder2Power large-scale loop and support the integration of thermal particle transport within the overall plant layout.

• Testing and integration of the small-scale experimental loop (WP3)

Preparations for the small-scale experimental loop are progressing, with loop design finalized and installation planned by June 2025. This setup will allow testing of the solar receiver under relevant thermal and operational conditions. The first test campaign is scheduled for the summer, and the results will feed into validation of the system design and control strategy ahead of scale-up.

• System design and configuration for commercial scale (WP4)

Validated layouts and component designs for the Powder2Power plant have been completed, covering the heliostat field, solar receiver, electric heater, and supercritical CO₂ cycle. This work supports system-level performance modeling and feeds into the scale-up strategy for the hybrid plant architecture. Preliminary design parameters and configurations will serve as inputs to techno-economic and environmental assessments in WP5.

• Plant performance and techno-economic modeling (WP5)

The first set of simulation results and performance maps for the solar field and power block components has been completed, supporting the techno-economic analysis of the Powder2Power concept. These developments are reflected in the deliverable D5.3 “Definition of KPIs and methodology for techno-economic assessment”, which establishes the modeling approach, defines key performance indicators, and outlines the cost functions needed to evaluate the hybrid PV-CSP system. This work provides a foundation for benchmarking system efficiency and guiding future design and optimization activities.

Next steps

With key design tasks and physical setup progressing at the Themis site underway, the next months will focus on integrating components and validating the system architecture through field testing. The consortium will reconvene for its next Steering Committee and Executive Board meeting on September 11–12, 2025, hosted in person by KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

Stay tuned for more updates as Powder2Power moves closer to its first demonstration milestones!