sCO2-Flex · Project

Making Power Plants Fast and Flexible Enough to Back Up Renewable Energy

energyTestedTRL 6

Imagine your car engine was built to cruise at one speed on the highway — but now you need it to handle stop-and-go city traffic. That's the problem coal and gas power plants face today: they were designed to run steady, but wind and solar keep switching on and off, so backup plants need to ramp up and down quickly. This project built and tested a new type of power cycle that uses CO2 under extreme pressure (supercritical CO2) instead of steam, letting power plants change their output much faster and waste less fuel doing it. The team designed a 25-megawatt system and tested its key components — boiler, turbine, heat exchangers — in real-world-like conditions.

By the numbers

25 MWe

Designed power output of the sCO2 Brayton cycle

EUR 5,630,855

Total EU contribution to the project

Consortium partners across the value chain

Countries represented in the consortium

67%

Industry partner ratio in consortium

TRL6

Target technology readiness level

The business problem

What needed solving

Power plants built for steady base-load operation cannot ramp up and down fast enough to compensate for the intermittent output of wind and solar. This inflexibility wastes fuel, increases wear, and threatens grid stability. Utilities and grid operators urgently need power generation technology that can change output rapidly across the full load range while maintaining efficiency.

The solution

What was built

The project designed and validated a 25MWe supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle with optimized components: a specialized boiler, compact heat exchangers, turbomachinery, and control strategies for fast load changes. Materials were tested for corrosion and erosion resistance under turbine conditions, with 17 deliverables produced across the consortium.

Audience

Who needs this

Coal and lignite power plant operators needing to add grid flexibilityTurbomachinery manufacturers developing next-gen power cycle componentsGrid operators managing renewable energy integrationEngineering firms designing or retrofitting thermal power plantsHeat exchanger manufacturers targeting high-temperature, high-pressure applications

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Thermal Power Generation

enterprise

Target: Operators of coal, lignite, or gas-fired power plants

If you are a power plant operator struggling with grid flexibility demands as renewables grow — this project developed a 25MWe supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle designed for fast start-ups, shut-downs, and load changes across the entire operating range. The system was validated at TRL6 with components tested in relevant environments, offering a path to retrofit existing plants for flexible operation while improving efficiency.

Industrial Heat Exchangers & Turbomachinery

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of heat exchangers, compressors, and turbines for power applications

If you are a turbomachinery or heat exchanger manufacturer looking for next-generation product lines — this project designed and tested compact sCO2 heat exchangers and turbomachinery components at relevant conditions. With 12 partners across 6 countries validating the technology, the designs and materials data (including corrosion resistance testing) could feed directly into your R&D pipeline.

Grid Balancing & Energy Storage Services

enterprise

Target: Grid operators and flexibility service providers

If you are a grid operator or energy service company dealing with intermittent renewable integration — this project validated a power cycle technology that enables fast load changes and entire load range optimization. Coordinated by EDF, one of Europe's largest utilities, the 25MWe design is scalable and modular, meaning it can be adapted to different grid balancing needs.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this sCO2 technology?

The project focused on cost-effectiveness as a design goal but did not publish specific per-unit or per-MWe pricing. The EU invested EUR 5,630,855 across 12 partners to bring the 25MWe design to TRL6. Commercial pricing would depend on plant size, retrofit vs. new-build, and component suppliers in the consortium.

Can this scale beyond the 25MWe design?

Yes — the project explicitly designed the sCO2 Brayton cycle to be scalable and modular. The 25MWe system serves as the reference design, with the architecture intended to scale for larger power plants. The consortium included EDF as coordinator, providing real utility-scale perspective.

Who owns the IP and can I license it?

IP is distributed among the 12 consortium partners, with EDF (Electricité de France) as coordinator. The project included technology providers for heat exchangers and turbomachinery alongside academics. Licensing discussions would need to go through individual partners depending on which component you need.

Does this meet current emissions regulations?

The project aimed to reduce environmental impacts from fossil-fuel power generation by improving efficiency and operational flexibility. While it targets coal and lignite plants, the sCO2 cycle itself is a cleaner conversion technology. Regulatory compliance would depend on the specific plant and jurisdiction.

When could this be commercially available?

The project ran from 2018 to 2021 and brought the technology to TRL6 (system validated in relevant environment). The objective stated the path leads to demonstration projects from 2020 and commercialization from 2025. Current commercial status would need to be verified with the consortium.

How does this integrate with existing power plant infrastructure?

The 25MWe sCO2 Brayton cycle was designed specifically for integration with existing and future coal and lignite power plants. The modular design approach means components — boiler, heat exchangers, turbomachinery — can be adapted to different plant configurations. Instrumentation and control strategies were developed as part of the project.

What technical support is available?

The consortium of 12 partners includes 8 industry players covering the whole value chain — from component manufacturers to the plant operator EDF. Academic partners provided expertise in thermodynamic cycle simulation, heat exchange, and materials science. Post-project support would depend on individual partner engagement.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium is heavily industry-led (67%, 8 out of 12 partners), which signals serious commercial intent. EDF — one of Europe's largest power utilities — coordinates the project, meaning the technology was shaped by someone who would actually use it. The mix spans the full value chain: component manufacturers (heat exchangers, turbomachinery), a power plant operator, and academic specialists from 6 countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Italy). Two SMEs bring agility. This is not a lab experiment — it's an industry coalition building something they intend to deploy.

ELECTRICITE DE FRANCECoordinator · FR
NUOVO PIGNONE SRLparticipant · IT
ZABALA BRUSSELSthirdparty · BE
Alfa Laval Golbey SASparticipant · FR
ZABALA INNOVATION CONSULTING SAparticipant · ES
NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE SRLthirdparty · IT
CENTRUM VYZKUMU REZ SROparticipant · CZ
UNIVERSITAET DUISBURG-ESSENparticipant · DE
POLITECNICO DI MILANOparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGARTparticipant · DE
UJV REZ ASparticipant · CZ
RINA CONSULTING - CENTRO SVILUPPO MATERIALI SPAparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

EDF (Electricité de France) coordinated this project. Contact their R&D or technology licensing division for partnership inquiries.

Order a report on this consortium See ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the sCO2-Flex team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific application — whether you need the turbomachinery design, heat exchanger specs, or integration support.

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