Heliogen, Inc. has demonstrated the effectiveness of its proprietary control system at Sandia National Laboratories' National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF). The project, funded by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Technology Commercialization Fund, marks a leap forward in concentrating solar energy and provides third-party validation data essential to Heliogen's software licensing potential. The software also measured the alignment of the mirror facets to improve beam quality.

The evidence from these tests, conducted by Sandia, conclusively demonstrates the efficacy of Heliogen's AI-powered software in accurately monitoring and correcting heliostat tracking. This represents a significant advancement in mitigating the primary sources of historical inaccuracy in heliostat orientation within the existing infrastructure of concentrating solar energy plants. This milestone demonstrates the ability of Heliogen's patented software to improve efficiency across a range of heliostat fields and paves the way for commercialization through licensing agreements with operators of concentrating solar projects.

The software's automated correction of heliostat pointing inaccuracies aims to lower operational and maintenance costs by reducing the need for offline calibration and continually optimizing system efficiency for maximum sunlight collection. Additionally, the project, in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, affirms the scalability and readiness of Heliogen'sAI-enabled technology for broader application in its project portfolio. Testing was conducted at the NSTTF, the only test facility of its type in the United States.

Funded through the Technology Commercialization Fund, an initiative to commercialize promising energy technologies from DOE?s national laboratories, the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) awarded the project in 2020.