Csaba Singer investigates the cost reduction potentials in electricity generation using solar thermal tower power plants. His goal is to increase the receiver efficiency and to identify and evaluate critical aspects of innovative receiver technologies. Initially, a conceptual study is conducted to compare the state of the art of solar tower power plants with selected receiver options for increasing steam process temperatures. This study shows that direct absorption on the inner surface of the receiver with a downward-opening aperture and liquid film cooling has the highest potential among the compared options. Subsequently, detailed fluid mechanical and thermodynamic modeling of this receiver concept is carried out at a 1:1 scale, which allows for the analysis of feasibility and functionality.