SUN-DT at SolarPACES 2026
The SUN-DT project took part in the 32nd SolarPACES Conference in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, from 15 to 18 September 2026, sharing its work on the use of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) to support smarter, more efficient and more competitive concentrated solar power (CSP) plants.
A key highlight was the keynote presentation by Marcelino Sánchez, SUN-DT coordinator at CENER, entitled “Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence: A Second Opportunity for CSP”. The presentation showed how digital tools can help transform plant complexity into actionable intelligence, supporting improved operation, predictive maintenance and decision-making.
Ahead of the main conference, SUN-DT was also presented by Marcelino Sánchez (CENER) and Marc Röger (DLR) on 14 September during the SolarPACES Task III Meeting, within the session on “Guidelines for performance testing of heliostats and heliostat fields”.
SUN-DT was also represented through a project poster and had presence at ESTELA’s booth throughout the conference, creating further opportunities to engage with researchers, industry representatives and other stakeholders from the international CSP community.
Participation in SolarPACES 2026 helped increase the visibility of SUN-DT, share the project’s technical approach and strengthen collaboration with the wider solar thermal sector. The exchanges held during the conference will support SUN-DT’s ambition to move innovative digital solutions from research and validation towards practical application in CSP plants.