The limited supply of fossil hydrocarbon resources and the negative impact of CO2 emissions on the global environment dictate the increasing usage of renewable energy sources. Concentrated solar power (CSP) is the most likely candidate for providing the majority of this renewable energy, because it is amongst the most
cost-effective renewable electricity technologies and because its supply is
not restricted if the energy generated is transported from the world's solar belt to the population centers.
Three main technologies have been identified during the past decades for generating electricity :
● dish/engine technology,
which can directly generate electricity in isolated locations
● parabolic and Fresnel trough technology,
which produces high pressure superheated steam
● solar tower technology,
which produces air above 1000°C or synthesis gas for gas turbine operation.
While these technologies have reached a certain maturity, as has been demonstrated in pilot projects in Israel,Spain and the USA, significant improvements in the thermo-hydraulic performance are still required if such installations are to achieve the reliability and effectiveness of conventional power plants. This first article focuses on present CSP technologies, their history and the state of the art. The second article, in the next issue of Ingenia, looks at the technical,environmental, social and economic issues relating to CSP in the future.
Concentrating Solar Power
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is electricity generated from mirrors to focus sunlight onto a receiver that captures the sun’s energy and converts it into heat that can run a standard turbine generator or engine. CSP systems range from remote power systems as small as a few kilowatts up to grid-connected power plants of
100’s of megawatts (MW). CSP systems work best in bright, sunny locations like the Southwest. Because of the economies of scale and cost of operation and maintenance, CSP technology works best
in large power plants.
Why CSP?
- Clean, reliable power from domestic renewable energy
- Operate at high annual efficiency Firm power delivery when integrated with thermal storage
- Easily integrated into the power grid
- Boosts national economy by creating many new solar companies and jobs.
How They Work?
Parabolic trough solar systems use long, parabolic-shaped mirrors or linear Fresnel reflectors to collect and focus sunlight onto a receiver tube that contains a fluid. The fluid inside the tube is heated to create superheated steam that powers a turbine generator to produce electricity.
Parabolic Trough Collector -The sun’s energy is concentrated on an oil-filled, solar absorbing transparent
glass tube running along the focal line of the parabolically shaped trough.
Linear Fresnel Reflectors - Differ from parabolic trough in that the absorber is fixed in space above the
slightly curved or flat Fresnel reflectors. Sometimes a small parabolic mirror is added to the top of the receiver to further focus sunlight.
cost-effective renewable electricity technologies and because its supply is
not restricted if the energy generated is transported from the world's solar belt to the population centers.
Three main technologies have been identified during the past decades for generating electricity :
● dish/engine technology,
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which can directly generate electricity in isolated locations
● parabolic and Fresnel trough technology,
● solar tower technology,
While these technologies have reached a certain maturity, as has been demonstrated in pilot projects in Israel,Spain and the USA, significant improvements in the thermo-hydraulic performance are still required if such installations are to achieve the reliability and effectiveness of conventional power plants. This first article focuses on present CSP technologies, their history and the state of the art. The second article, in the next issue of Ingenia, looks at the technical,environmental, social and economic issues relating to CSP in the future.
Concentrating Solar Power
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is electricity generated from mirrors to focus sunlight onto a receiver that captures the sun’s energy and converts it into heat that can run a standard turbine generator or engine. CSP systems range from remote power systems as small as a few kilowatts up to grid-connected power plants of
100’s of megawatts (MW). CSP systems work best in bright, sunny locations like the Southwest. Because of the economies of scale and cost of operation and maintenance, CSP technology works best
in large power plants.
Why CSP?
- Clean, reliable power from domestic renewable energy
- Operate at high annual efficiency Firm power delivery when integrated with thermal storage
- Easily integrated into the power grid
- Boosts national economy by creating many new solar companies and jobs.
How They Work?
Parabolic trough solar systems use long, parabolic-shaped mirrors or linear Fresnel reflectors to collect and focus sunlight onto a receiver tube that contains a fluid. The fluid inside the tube is heated to create superheated steam that powers a turbine generator to produce electricity.
Parabolic Trough Collector -The sun’s energy is concentrated on an oil-filled, solar absorbing transparent
glass tube running along the focal line of the parabolically shaped trough.
Linear Fresnel Reflectors - Differ from parabolic trough in that the absorber is fixed in space above the
slightly curved or flat Fresnel reflectors. Sometimes a small parabolic mirror is added to the top of the receiver to further focus sunlight.
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