Concentrated Solar Power: An Emerging Renewable Energy Technology
History
Concentrated solar power technology dates back to the 1890s when inventors working on solar thermal applications experimented with using mirrors to focus sunlight onto a small area. However, it was not until the energy crisis of the 1970s that CSP saw renewed interest and the first pilot projects began. Researchers focused on improving the efficiency of concentrating collectors and developing thermal energy storage to store heat for use after sunset. The first commercial concentrated solar power plant was built in 1980 in California and used parabolic trough collectors to provide steam for electricity generation. More large scale plants were then constructed in the 1990s in Spain and the United States, helping to advance the technology.
How It Works
Its systems use mirrors or lenses with tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight onto a small area. This creates high temperatures that can be used directly or to heat a heat transfer fluid like oil. The heated fluid is then used to produce steam which drives a turbine that generates electricity or can be stored as thermal energy. There are three main Concentrated Solar Power technologies currently used:
Parabolic Trough: Long parallel rows of mirrors focus sunlight onto a tube that runs down the center of the trough. A heat transfer fluid in the tube is heated to around 400°C.
Power Tower: An array of computer-controlled mirrors called heliostats focus sunlight onto a receiver at the top of a tall tower. The receiver transfers heat to a fluid that is used to generate steam. Temperatures can reach over 1000°C.
Dish Stirling Engine: A concentrating parabolic dish focuses sunlight onto a Stirling engine mounted at the focal point. The engine directly uses the thermal energy to produce electricity through the expansion and compression of hydrogen gas.
Benefits
Concentrated solar power systems provide several key benefits over other renewable and conventional generation sources:
- Solar thermal energy can be stored for use after sunset by keeping the heat transfer fluid hot or melting salts. This provides dispatchable renewable power when the sun is not shining.
- Compared to photovoltaics, its plants have a smaller land footprint since they only require flat land for installations of mirrors and towers rather than covering whole fields with solar panels. This makes land use more efficient.
- Heat storage allows it to provide baseload power rather than intermittent generation. Power output can be dispatched according to demand rather than following the daytime solar resource pattern.
- Parabolic trough and power tower technologies have reached high capacity factors of over 30%, providing reliable energy on clear and sunny days to match peak demand periods.
- It does not emit any air or water pollution during operation and has very low lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuel generation. The fuel source is an abundant local resource - sunlight.
- Thermal energy storage offers enhanced grid stability by providing a buffer against sudden changes in renewable energy infeed from wind or solar PV sources. It can balance intermittent sources.
Advancements
Research and development efforts continue to improve the performance and lower the costs of concentrated solar power technologies. Key advancements include developing higher temperature heat transfer fluids such as molten salts that improve thermodynamic efficiency, optimizing the design of collector fields and heliostat mirrors for maximum sunlight reflection, integrating thermal storage at larger scales directly into power plants, and commercializing small modular units. Newer hybrid systems are also being explored that can use carbon capture to store captured emissions and natural gas, enhancing flexibility and reducing intermittency. With more commercial deployment, concentrated solar power costs are anticipated to decline as manufacturing processes improve and supply chains develop economies of scale. It remains an emerging renewable energy technology with tremendous potential for future growth.
Future Outlook
It is expected to play an important role in transitioning the energy sector away from fossil fuels to renewable sources worldwide. Several countries and regions around the world have ambitious targets to significantly expand their installed capacity of it in the coming decades as costs decrease. As thermal energy storage abilities progress, it will allow for concentrated solar power to supply renewable base load power on a global scale. New solar thermal projects continue to be planned and developed utilizing the latest technologies. It is poised to become a mainstream renewable energy source providing clean dispatchable electricity to meet rising demand. With advancement and deployment, it has the potential in future to supply a large percentage of global electricity needs in a sustainable way helping to reduce carbon emissions significantly.
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About Author:
Alice Mutum is a seasoned senior content editor at Coherent Market Insights, leveraging extensive expertise gained from her previous role as a content writer. With seven years in content development, Alice masterfully employs SEO best practices and cutting-edge digital marketing strategies to craft high-ranking, impactful content. As an editor, she meticulously ensures flawless grammar and punctuation, precise data accuracy, and perfect alignment with audience needs in every research report. Alice's dedication to excellence and her strategic approach to content make her an invaluable asset in the world of market insights.
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