Markschlager took over responsibility for the Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) division on October 1.
An expert on solar energy who holds a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering, Markschlager has held senior positions with the SCHOTT Group at the international level since 1999 and took over responsibility for the Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) division on October 1.
Dr. Nikolaus Benz will remain responsible for the areas of R&D and Operations at SCHOTT Solar CSP as its second Managing Director. The company is also getting ready to begin producing its latest generation of receivers for solar thermal power plants. Here, an improved product design will increase its efficiency and long-term stability and strengthen SCHOTT s leading position in the concentrated solar power market.
We are delighted to have Dr. Markschlager take on the role of Managing Director. He will definitely help drive execution in this extremely promising field.
The market is demanding sustainable power generation and grid stability, two areas that SCHOTT is well prepared to deliver on thanks to the innovative further development of its CSP technology, notes Dr. Hans-Joachim Konz, member of the Board of Management of SCHOTT AG.
As Managing Director, Markschlager will report directly to the Board of SCHOTT AG. In his most recent position he served as Managing Director of SCHOTT Solar Thin Film GmbH and managed the SCHOTT site in Jena. He will continue to hold both positions in the future. Markschlager succeeds Christoph Fark as Managing Director, who now heads the strategy department of SCHOTT AG. We thank Christoph Fark for the excellent work he has done in building the CSP business on behalf of the group over the last few years, Konz adds.
CSP receivers with even higher performance – Besides this change in leadership at the executive level of the company, SCHOTT Solar CSP will also be laying yet another milestone by commencing with manufacturing of its latest generation of receivers.
By pursuing further development, SCHOTT will be helping to increase the efficiency and long-term success of concentrated solar power plant technology.
The receivers in CSP power plants convert concentrated solar radiation into heat that is used to produce steam to start with and then electrical power inside a steam turbine.
The question of how much solar energy a receiver is capable of storing is crucial to the efficiency of a solar power plant. SCHOTT Solar has managed to increase the absorption level to over 95.5 percent by further developing a coating for its receivers. At the same time, heat radiation was lowered to under 9.5 percent. Technical and design measures also improve its capacity to absorb sunlight.
