EUROPEAN SOLAR THERMAL ELECTRICITY ASSOCIATION

Their core work

ESTELA is the European industry association representing the concentrated solar power (CSP) sector, advocating for solar thermal electricity across policy, market development, and research coordination. They bridge EU energy policy (SET Plan) with the CSP industry by coordinating implementation plans, facilitating research infrastructure access, and supporting market uptake strategies. Their work ensures that CSP technology advances are translated into deployment roadmaps, financial strategies, and cross-border cooperation frameworks. Based in Brussels, they function as the policy and coordination backbone for Europe's solar thermal electricity value chain.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ESTELA's early H2020 involvement (2017-2018) centered on energy policy and financial strategy — understanding how to design better public support for solar thermal and facilitate cross-border market cooperation. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward technical CSP topics: research infrastructure access, SET Plan implementation, and next-generation plant concepts using supercritical CO2 cycles. This progression shows a move from "how do we fund and support CSP" to "how do we build and deploy the next generation of CSP plants."

ESTELA is moving from pure policy advocacy toward hands-on technology coordination, particularly around next-generation CSP plant designs with sCO2 cycles and advanced thermal storage — signaling readiness for demonstration-phase partnerships.

How they like to work

ESTELA primarily joins consortia as a participant (4 of 5 projects), contributing sector-wide coordination, policy expertise, and industry network access rather than deep technical execution. Their one coordinated project (HORIZON-STE, their largest at EUR 598K) was a Coordination and Support Action — consistent with their role as an industry association that organizes rather than builds. With 51 unique partners across 13 countries, they function as a network hub connecting diverse actors across the CSP ecosystem.

ESTELA has collaborated with 51 unique partners across 13 countries, reflecting broad European reach typical of an industry association that connects research institutions, technology providers, and policy bodies across the CSP sector.

What sets them apart

ESTELA occupies a unique position as the single European voice for the concentrated solar power industry — not a research lab, not a company, but the sector's coordination point in Brussels. This makes them invaluable for any CSP-related consortium that needs industry alignment, policy navigation, and dissemination reach across the entire solar thermal value chain. If you need to ensure your CSP project speaks to the right industry audience and aligns with EU energy strategy, ESTELA is the partner that provides that bridge.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HORIZON-STE
  Their only coordinated project and largest funding (EUR 598K) — a CSA dedicated to implementing the EU's strategic vision for solar thermal electricity under the SET Plan.
• SOLARSCO2OL
  Their most forward-looking project, exploring supercritical CO2 power cycles for CSP plants — a potential game-changer for reducing the cost of solar thermal electricity.
• SFERA-III
  Connects ESTELA to Europe's solar research infrastructure network, giving them direct insight into facility capabilities across linear concentrators, central receivers, and thermal storage testing.