Can We

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Solar Thermal Power
John ODonnell jod_at_tsugino.com
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Electricity Fuel of GDP
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Where Does Electricity Come From?
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Heat
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Heat Makes Steam
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Steam Becomes Electricity
Best efficiency at highest temperaturePrimarily
limited by materials
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Thermal Power Generation
½ all US potable water used here
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Its not the heat,

• 40 of heat energy becomes electricity
• Total heat released is insignificant

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Its not the heat, its the CO2

• Each molecule of CO2, during its life in the
  atmosphere, traps 100,000 times more heat than
  was released when it formed. - Ken Caldeira,
  Carnegie Inst.

Power generation is over 40 of US and world CO2
emissions, and is the fastest growing sector.
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100,000 times
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Business As Usual A Problem
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We have a problem
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Targets and Methods
http//tinyurl.com/hansen350
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Primary Resources Fuel Supply
World energy use
R. Perez et al.
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Solar Thermal Power

• Now competitively priced in US
• At 30/ton CO2, economics drives deployment
• Can deliver 90 of grid power
• Thousands of megawatts in contract/construction
  now
• Needed construction rates achievable
• US 2006 electricity 92x92 mi

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On Peak Pwr is Most Expensive(and fastest
growing)?
Peaking GT
IntermediateCombined Cycle
Base Load (coal, nuclear)?
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Solar Is Strategic and Economical

• Summer peak load growing 2x average use
• All peak load gas-fired
• Electricity generation fastest growing use of
  natural gas
• McKinsey, CERA, Simmons predict doubling of US
  natural gas prices within 5 years

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Solar Thermal Power 1914
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Solar thermal power systems

• Concentrate Sunlight
• 50-3000x concentration
• Track Sun Position
• daily/seasonally
• Store Heat Energy
• Convert Heat To Power Turbine and Stirling
  Engines
• Economics
• Collector Cost Per Area
• Optical Efficiency
• Thermal Losses
• Engine Thermal Efficiency

Dish Tower
Trough Linear Fresnel
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Factors Driving Cost-Efficiency

• Engine Efficiency
• Reflector Field CostPer Area

• Thermal Losses ??????T4??Receiver
  Area??Emissivity

High Solar Concentration Materials-limited, cost
of precision reflectors and trackers Lower
Concentration Reductions in reflector cost
outweigh lower thermal efficiency
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Solar thermal power systems
Continuous Fresnel Point
Line
Dish Tower
Trough Linear Fresnel
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Concept of Tower Technology
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(No Transcript)
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Dish Engine

• Link

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Trough
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354 MW Solar Electric Generating Systems (SEGS)?
Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS)?
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l
Linear Fresnel
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177 MW, 1 square mile
Carrizo Energy Farm for PGE in CA rendering
Online 11/10
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Solar Field Costs (Reflector Receiver)?
DLR 2007 assessment of solar thermal pwr AQUA-CSP
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Variable ??Selective Surfaces
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Solar Thermal Plant Elements
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(No Transcript)
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Thermal Energy StorageChallenges
Highly specific design specifications regarding
primary HTF - pressure - temperature - power
level - capacity
Storagesystem
ONE single storage technology will not meet the
unique requirements of different solar power
plants
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Thermal Energy Storage for CSP Plants Status
und Development

• Commercially available storage systems
• Steam Accumulator
• 2-Tank sensible molten salt storage based on
  nitrate salts
• Alternative materials and concepts tested in lab
  and pilot scale
• Solid medium sensible heat storage - concrete
  storage
• Latent heat - PCM storage
• Combined storage system (concrete/PCM) for
  water/steam fluid
• Improved molten salt storage concepts
• Solid media storage for Solar Tower with Air
  Receiver (e.g. natural rocks, checker bricks,
  sand)?
• Future focus for CSP
• Higher plant efficiency gt Increase process
  temperature
• New fluids steam, molten salt, gas/air

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Steam AccumulatorsPS10
Saturated steam at 250C50 min storage operation
at 50 load
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Molten Salt Storage Andasol 1

• Storage capacity 1010 MWh (7.7h)?
• Nitrate salts (60 NaNO3 40 KNO3)?

• Salt inventory 28.500 t
• Tank volume 14.000 m³
• 6 HTF/salt heat exchangers

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Storage Meet Peak Demand
Least Cost per kWh around 14 hrs storageOptimal
economics depend on tariffCalifornia pays
2x/kWh noon-8pm M-F Spain, others no TOD
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Solar Thermal can supply over 95 US Grid Power
Mills Morgan, SolarPACES 2008
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Solar Thermal vs Conventional - 2013
/MWh
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Land is not (remotely) a constraint
world electricity demand (18,000 TWh/y)? can be
produced from 300 x 300 km² 0.23 of all
deserts distributed over 10 000 sites
More than 90 of world pp could be served by
clean power from deserts (DESERTEC.org) !
Gerhard Knies, CSP 2008 Barcelona
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US Solar Resource
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World Solar Resources
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High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC)Low-Loss
(3/1000 km)
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CoR White Paper 2007

• Sun-belt technology belt
• synergies
• interconnection
• technology cooperation

deserts technology for energy, water and
climate security
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Gerhard Knies, Taipei e-parl. WFC 2008-03-1/2
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Interstate Highway System
HVDC SuperhighwaysInterchanges to today's
hubs Stability, Cost, Job Growth, Energy
Climate Security
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Can this be done?

• Give us 100 Clean Electricity
• within 10 years.
• 800 GW by 2017
• 80 GW/yr build!
• Resource availability
• Readiness of technology
• Transmission corridors
• Cost of power
• Reliability of supply

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US Power Generation 50 yr History
Market forces caused 70 GW/yr buildoutChina
building gt100 GW/yr Can we build 80 GW/yr?
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www.eia.doe.gov
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http//tinyurl.com/perez-v-08