HELIOCOMM: A Wireless Revolution in Concentrated Solar Power Systems

This article introduces the concept of wireless controls for heliostat-based concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) systems, highlighting the cost advantages over traditional wired connections. Initially, the article reviews the current state of the art for wireless control development in CSP systems, emphasizing their early stage in terms of adopting wireless communication technology. The article introduces the novel HELIOCOMM system, which leverages the advanced wireless networking technology of integrated access and backhaul to support wireless closed-loop controls in the CSP field, while additionally employing artificial intelligence or artificial intelligence-based clustering, entropy-based routing, and resource allocation. These elements enhance the energy efficiency of the photovoltaic and battery operating heliostats, reduce the latency to guarantee the closed-loop control of the heliostats in a real-time manner, and optimize bandwidth allocation in wireless links. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the HELIOCOMM system’s architecture and its components, highlighting its potential to transform CSP systems.