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Juelich

In Jülich, the DLR Institute of Solar Research operates Germany’s unique Solar Tower as experimental solar thermal power plant. Funded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and in cooperation with partners from industry and research the Solar Tower Jülich will be developed further to a solar research center through additional installations and test fields. This includes a second solar tower with three research levels, which will be completed in summer 2020.

In 2017, DLR expanded its test facilities in Jülich with a facility for providing artificial sunlight. With its 149 high-performance spotlights, Synlight has since been the largest artificial sun in the world.

In the three facilities new components and processes are tested, to make solar power plants more efficient and cost-effective. In addition, the scientists investigate the manufacturing process of solar fuels and the use of solar heat for industrial processes (for example, for the desalination of sea water).