Overview
IEC 62862-4-1:2022 - Solar thermal electric plants: General requirements for the design of solar power tower plants defines the high‑level design requirements for solar power tower (central receiver) plants. It applies to newly built, expanded or rebuilt installations that use steam turbines and either molten‑salt or water‑steam heat transfer media. The standard addresses technical, safety and planning aspects to support reliable, grid‑connected solar thermal electric plants.
Key topics and technical requirements
IEC 62862-4-1:2022 covers a broad set of engineering disciplines and project phases, including:
- Electric power system requirements: grid connection, relay protection, dispatching automation, metering and power‑system communications.
- Solar resource assessment & site selection: site suitability, resource measurement and data needed for plant design.
- Overall planning and layout: on‑site and off‑site planning, plant master layout and interfaces between subsystems.
- Collector system: heliostat field design, receiver tower layout, heliostat cleaning and maintenance provisions.
- Heat transfer, thermal energy storage and steam generation: design considerations for heat transfer systems, thermal energy storage (TES) using molten salt or water‑steam, and steam generation systems.
- Power block and steam turbine system: arrangement of power block, steam turbine house, auxiliary heating and maintenance facilities.
- Water treatment: feedwater pretreatment, demineralization, cleaning and wastewater handling.
- Instrumentation, control and information systems: automation levels, control room functions, monitoring, video surveillance and information security.
- Electrical equipment: generator, transformers, HV switchgear, AC/DC auxiliary systems, grounding and UPS.
- Occupational safety & health: safety measures, protective facilities and maintenance/inspection access.
- Annexes: informative guidance such as electricity output estimation.
The standard references established IEC publications for rotating machines and transformers (for example IEC 60034-1, IEC 60076 series), aligning power‑generation electrical requirements with recognized electrotechnical norms.
Practical applications and users
IEC 62862-4-1:2022 is intended for:
- Project developers and EPC contractors designing solar power tower plants.
- Mechanical, electrical and controls engineers responsible for plant layout and integration.
- OEMs of heliostats, receivers, thermal storage and steam turbines.
- Utilities, grid operators and regulators assessing plant connection and protection requirements.
- Safety, commissioning and operations teams implementing maintenance, instrumentation and occupational health programs.
- Investors and financiers seeking standards‑based design assurance.
Using this standard helps ensure safe, interoperable, and grid‑compliant solar thermal electric plants, improves project risk management, and supports consistent performance and reliability.
Related standards
Relevant referenced IEC standards include IEC 60034-1, IEC 60034-3, IEC 60076 series and other electrotechnical standards cited within the document for electrical machine, transformer and protection requirements.