Solar-powered organic Rankine cycles: A technical and historical review

This research work reports the historical and technical developments of solar-powered organic Rankine cycles from 1880 to the early 2020s. In total, more than two hundred units are identified and presented along three different periods, namely the Pioneering Era (1880–1960), the Golden Age (1960–2000) and the Renaissance (2000–2020s). Besides describing the historical context of these investigations, technical details of the power units, solar fields, thermal storage and other auxiliaries are documented in details. Out of the database gathered from the review, an extensive analysis is performed to highlight how system architectures, component technologies, applications and market competitiveness evolved over time. Ultimately, this research work intends to provide the reader a complete understanding of past successes and failures, in order to best guide future developments of solar-powered organic Rankine cycles . • Complete review of experimental solar-powered organic Rankine cycles . • 203 units spanning over 140 years of history are thoroughly documented. • Evolutions of technologies and applications are analyzed. • Economics insights and market competitiveness of this technology are outlined.