Magtel, a leading company in the development of technological solutions for a more efficient and sustainable world, attended the 8th International Supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) Power Cycles Symposium, a key event in the sector, held in San Antonio, Texas, from February 26 to 29. Organized by the Southwest Research Institute, this symposium is the primary technical meeting to advance sCO₂ power cycle technology, bringing together industry, academia, and government agencies.

During the symposium, Magtel presented the SolarsCO2ol project, co-financed with €10 million by the European Commission. This pioneering initiative aims to develop a 2MW closed sCO₂ cycle plant for electricity generation, using molten salts heated by solar concentrators as the primary energy source. The project is expected to be operational by 2025.

Supercritical CO₂ technology is considered a high-potential option for the next generation of power generation turbomachinery due to its high energy density, which improves power cycle efficiency. Once developed and deployed at scale, this technology could reduce plant size and costs, ultimately lowering the cost of generated electricity.

The technology is positioned to drive future energy applications, including solar thermal power plants and nuclear fusion turbines.

Magtel, together with its SolarsCO2ol partners KTH and the University of Genoa, used the symposium as an opportunity to exchange ideas on possible plant configurations and operating modes, crucial for optimizing efficiency and feasibility. Participants discussed technical advances and challenges associated with implementing sCO₂ technology.

In addition, Magtel visited the STEP facility in San Antonio, Texas, currently under commissioning. This pioneering project has a capacity of 10MW and a budget of $169 million. The visit provided Magtel representatives with practical insights into an sCO₂ facility, enabling comparisons with the SolarsCO2ol approach, which will be the first closed sCO₂ cycle powered by solar thermal energy.

The symposium highlighted the role of sCO₂ in the global energy transition and provided a platform for industry leaders to present their latest research and developments. Through its participation, Magtel reaffirms its commitment to innovation and sustainability in the energy sector.

Magtel is a leading company in the development of technological solutions for a more efficient and sustainable world.