The Quarz‑Akkr project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action under grant 03EE5033, ran from December 2019 to May 2023 at the DLR Institute for Solar Research. The project was led by Björn Schiricke and Johannes Pernpeintner and aimed to secure accreditation for the laboratory’s key component‑testing methods, thereby enabling the production of internationally comparable results for solar‑thermal power plant technology.
The core scientific effort focused on the development and validation of measurement procedures for the most critical components of parabolic‑trough and dish‑type solar‑thermal plants. In the first work package, the team established a detailed plan and identified the necessary technical and organizational prerequisites. The second package carried out research to bring the tests to accreditation readiness. Here, the laboratory measured heat‑loss characteristics of parabolic‑trough receivers, quantified their optical efficiency, and performed high‑precision form measurements of concentrator mirrors. Reflectivity tests of the mirrors were also conducted, providing data on surface quality and coating performance. These measurements were carried out with traceable calibration chains and rigorous uncertainty analysis, ensuring that the results met the stringent requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, the international standard for competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
The third work package addressed pre‑normative research and standardization. The team developed test procedures that could serve as the basis for future international standards, thereby contributing to the global harmonization of solar‑thermal component testing. In the fourth package, the laboratory’s accreditation readiness was verified through internal audits and external reviews, confirming that all processes, documentation, and equipment met the ISO/IEC 17025 criteria. The final package implemented improvements identified during the verification phase, refining measurement protocols and enhancing data quality.
The project’s technical outcomes include a set of validated, traceable measurement methods for heat loss, optical efficiency, form accuracy, and reflectivity of solar‑thermal components. These methods provide high precision and accuracy, enabling reliable comparison of component performance across laboratories worldwide. The successful accreditation of the Quarz lab’s testing procedures has already facilitated the use of its results in design optimization and quality assurance for solar‑thermal power plants.
Collaboration was a key element of the project. The DLR Quarz lab worked closely with industry partners, other research institutions, and standardization bodies to ensure that the developed methods addressed real‑world needs and could be adopted internationally. The project’s outcomes were disseminated through peer‑reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences, contributing to the broader scientific community’s understanding of solar‑thermal component testing.
In summary, the Quarz‑Akkr project achieved its dual objectives of overcoming organizational and technical hurdles to obtain ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and of advancing pre‑normative research that supports the creation of robust, globally accepted testing standards for solar‑thermal power plant components. The project’s results enhance the reliability of component evaluation, thereby supporting the deployment of efficient and cost‑effective solar‑thermal power plants worldwide.