At the end of the course, students will know the main technologies for solar thermal conversion and their fields of application. They will be able to evaluate the solar source, describe the operating principles of solar collectors, formulate their basic thermal balance, and explain the thermal and optical behavior of both non-concentrating and concentrating solar systems. Students will also be able to understand and interpret plant schemes, size the main components of low-to-medium temperature Solar Thermal systems (LST) and Concentrating Solar Thermal and Power technologies (CSP), and estimate useful energy production. A key learning outcome will be the ability to analyze the coupling between the transient availability of the solar source and the temporal profile of demand through thermal storage and automated control strategies. Students who successfully complete the course will be able to compare alternative technical solutions and carry out energy, economic and environmental assessments of solar thermal systems.

Good knowledge of heat transfer and thermodynamics; basic knowledge of renewable energy sources, energy systems and modelling.

LST – Low-to-medium temperature Solar Thermal systems (56 h) The module introduces low-to-medium temperature solar thermal technologies, from solar resource assessment and collector operation to complete system design. Particular attention is given to collector fundamentals, technical schemes and emerging applications in buildings, thermal networks and industrial heat. In detail: • Solar resource: position of the Sun in the sky; solar irradiance components; atmospheric models; solar spectrum; meteorological data and typical radiation databases. • Solar collector fundamentals: main collector typologies, efficiency definition, thermal balance, temperature profiles, and optical and thermal characterization of absorbers, covers, ducts and insulation. • System components and thermal storage: installation typologies, heat exchangers, pumps, expansion and safety devices, stratified storage, sizing criteria and basic control principles. • Technical design of solar thermal plants: hydraulic layouts, technical diagrams, as-built schemes, regulation and safety strategies, component sizing and design checks for real installations. • Solar thermal systems for domestic hot water, space heating and combined applications. Seasonal performance evaluation, simplified design methods and dynamic simulation using simulation software. • Solar-assisted heat pumps, PVT collectors and hybrid renewable configurations for buildings and low-temperature thermal networks. • Solar cooling through absorption/adsorption refrigeration and desiccant evaporative cooling systems. • Large-scale applications: solar district heating and cooling, low-temperature networks, fifth-generation thermal networks and seasonal thermal storage. • Solar heat for industrial processes and other medium-temperature applications. • Principles of economic and cost-benefit analysis, environmental indicators, recent market trends and research developments. CSP – Introduction to Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies (24h) In this module an overview of the main CSP technologies (Parabolic Trough, Central Tower, Linear Fresnel, Stirling Dish) will be presented, with particular emphasis on the first two. The state of the art of each technology will be discussed, as well as the main physics principles, features and technical characteristics, together with an analysis of current and future R&D lines and trends. An overview of the commercial experiences worldwide will be given. In detail: • Motivation • Principles of concentration of Solar Radiation • Analysis of the most successful technologies so far - Parabolic Trough - Central Tower • Principles of energy storage in CSP plants • Modeling & Design tools: Optics – the open-source Tonatiuh code, Thermal fluid dynamics – commercial CFD codes at component level and tools for system-level modeling, Integration • Thesis opportunities

The course will be structured around the following sections: • Class lectures on course topics (43 h) • Numerical exercises on course topics (13 h) • Seminars on selected relevant topics and current research trends (3 h) • Guided technical visit to an operating solar plant, organised in groups (3 h). • Project work on the analysis and preliminary design of a solar thermal system (18 h). Possible case studies include large domestic hot water production, solar cooling, solar-assisted heat pumps, solar district heating/cooling with storage, and solar process heat. The project is a group work (3-4 people). Each team must write a final report and submit it before the deadline.

Main materials: • Notes and slides provided by the lecturers. • Notes from the EnerMENA lectures on CSP • Selected technical reports and scientific papers on solar thermal technologies and their applications. Books: • Duffie, John A., and William A. Beckman. Solar engineering of thermal processes. 4th ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2013 • Tiwari, G. N. Solar Energy: Fundamentals, Design, Modelling, and Applications. CRC Press, 2002. • Bent Sørensen, Renewable Energy: Its Physics, Engineering, Use, Environmental Impacts, Economy, and Planning Aspects. 3rd ed., Elsevier Academic Press, London, 2004. International reports: • International Energy Agency Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC). Solar Heat Worldwide - Global Market Development and Trends in 2024, Detailed Market Figures 2023, 2025 Edition. Published by AEE – Institute for Sustainable Technologies (AEE INTEC) • European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Clean Energy Technology Observatory: Solar Thermal Energy in the European Union - Status Report on Technology Development, Trends, Value Chains and Markets. Edition 2025. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. • Solar Heat Europe. Decarbonizing heat with Solar thermal – Market outlook 2024/2025. Brussels.

Lecture notes;

Exam: Optional oral exam; Group project; Computer-based written test in class using POLITO platform;

The exam will verify that students have achieved the expected learning outcomes and will consist of three parts: 1) Part 1 – Written exam (up to 25/30 of the final grade) A compulsory written examination of multiple-choice questions, open questions and short numerical exercises concerning low-to-medium temperature Solar Thermal systems (LST) and Concentrating Solar Thermal and Power technologies (CSP). The written exam will be made in electronic form on campus, using personal devices with digital environments provided by the university (e.g. Moodle with Lockdown browser). The written exam tests whether students have understood the theoretical principles, can apply them to solve quantitative problems, and can critically interpret the main design criteria, technical schemes and system configurations for the use of solar thermal energy. The maximum mark for the written exam is 25 (15 points from LST + 10 points from CSP). 2) Part 2 – Project group report (up to 5/30 of the final grade) A compulsory group project report. The project outline will be presented during the course lectures and will consist of a design exercise involving parametric analysis, optimisation and design alternatives exploration for a solar thermal system. The work will also involve using dynamic simulation software. The report must be submitted digitally via Assignments/Moodle by the deadline (around the end of May). The maximum mark for the project is 5: 3 points are awarded for full compliance with the assignments, and 2 points for excellence, critical thinking, and original solutions. The project will be assessed within two weeks of submission, and the same mark will be awarded to all members of the group. 3) Part 3 – Oral exam (±3/30 of the final grade) An optional oral examination may be requested by students who have achieved a total of at least 28 points in Part 1 (written exam) + Part 2 (project work). The instructor may also request an oral examination for further assessment. The oral assessment involves discussions on all topics covered during the course, including demonstrations. The result of the oral examination is in the range of -3 to +3 points. --------- The details of the final grade for this course, including all its components, are as follows: 25 points for the written test; 5 points for the group project; and ±3 points for the optional oral examination. A total score over 30 points corresponds to “30 cum laude”.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.