Pros and Cons of Concentrated Solar Power

Along with photovoltaic solar energy and wind energy, there is another renewable technology that takes advantage of our main energy resource, the sun, to produce electricity: solar thermoelectric, thermosolar or concentrated solar power. Its operating principle is based on the use of mirrors that concentrate the sun’s radiation to obtain steam, which is then directed …

Published at Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells – Erosion wear analysis of heat exchange surfaces in a falling particle-based concentrating solar power system

Erosion wear analysis of heat exchange surfaces in a falling particle-based concentrating solar power system Abstract: Next generation concentrating solar power (CSP) plants that use solid particles as the heat transfer and storage medium provide opportunities for higher temperature operation, higher efficiency, and lower levelized cost. However, falling particles over component material surfaces can cause …

US releases rule ensuring only green hydrogen gets $3/kg tax credit

Solar reactor uses solar thermal energy to split water to hydrogen Source: Hydrogen Insight The US government has finally unveiled its long-awaited proposed rules on clean hydrogen production, determining the criteria that developers will have to meet in order to qualify for the hydrogen tax credit of up to $3 per kilogram. The proposed guidelines …

Optimal design of a concentrated solar power plant with a thermal energy storage

In this work, a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant with a thermal energy storage system to produce 120 megawatts of electrical energy was designed using Thermoflex. As non-renewable resources are limited, to move towards sustainable development, the importance of developing alternative technologies such as optimized solar power generation systems becomes considerable. To eliminate the gap …

Published at Journal of Cleaner Production – Salinity impacts on a unique desalination system embedded with concentrated solar energy for cleaner production

Abstract: This research comprehensively analyzed a unique solar desalination unit that operates on concentrated solar energy. The analysis primarily focused on evaluating three crucial components: the condenser, flash chamber, and brine heater. Testing was initially performed using seawater sourced from the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, to investigate the influence of salinity on the …

Fraunhofer IEE Institute aims to explore the potential production of green hydrogen from concentrated solar power in Chile

A research project conducted by Germany’s Fraunhofer IEE Institute and partners aims to explore the potential production of green hydrogen from concentrated solar power (CSP) in Chile and pave the way for the development of large-scale production facilities in the Latin American country. Concentrated solar power system in northern Chile. Image by Frank Dinter, Fraunhofer …

EU looks to free itself from Russian energy using world’s largest concentrated solar power plant: ‘Reliability is key’

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated attempts by European nations to move away from energy typically sourced from the largest country in the world. Oil, gas, and coal have been exported from Russia in vast quantities for years, but alternatives are now being sought to meet national energy demands without having to import from a …

Published at Solar Energy – Numerical analysis of wind-induced convective heat losses in large-scale open volumetric cavity receivers and the evaluation of countermeasures

FIGURE 1: Schematic of solar power plant with open volumetric receiver (OVR). Abstract: This study investigates the wind influence on the operation of an open volumetric cavity receiver (OVR) designed with a tower height of approximately 200m and a total thermal power of 240MW�ℎ. The receiver design incorporates an air return system where parts of the air are returned between the …

Request for Information: Supercritical Carbon Dioxide-Based Turbomachinery for Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Plants

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) issued a request for information (RFI) to better understand the opportunities to deploy supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) based turbomachinery for concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) plants. Electrical power generation based on sCO2 as the working fluid has the potential to yield higher thermal efficiencies at …

Chile, 17 hours of storage with Concentrated Solar Power

In the Atacama Desert, the driest in the world located in northern Chile, the only Concentrated Solar Power tower in Latin America operates, a symbol of an energy revolution in the making against climate change. Aerial view of Cerro Dominador, the first concentrated solar power plant in Latin America, in Antofagasta, Chile. The imposing 240-meter …