Jacob Karni

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Overview of Solar-Thermal Research in Israel

• Jacob Karni
• Environmental Science Energy Research
  Department
• Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovot, Israel
• jacob.karni_at_weizmann.ac.il

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The problem in a Nutshell
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World Energy-Related Carbon Emissions by Fossil
Fuel Type, 1970-2020
Carbon emission accelerates faster than energy
consumption. There was a 50 increasein the last
30 years.60 increase is projectedfor the next
20 years.
MUST REVERSE THIS TREND
Substantial development at significant cost are
required to prevent similar increase in the
emission of sulfur, NOx and other pollutants.
Source EIA, International Energy Outlook 2002
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Nuclear Options

• Present technology Using uranium isotope U235
• Can use only about 0.5 of the natural uranium
• Radioactive waste, proliferation, safety
  security issues
• Clean Fission fuels e.g. thorium 1,2
• Cant be used as weapon, safe, short half-life
• Requires 20-30 years of development and large
  funds
• Fusion of Deuterium
• Requires more than 30 years of development and
  very large funds

References 1. Rubbia, C., Buono, S., Carminati,
F., Embid, M., Kadi, Y., Mandrillon, P. and
Negrini, A., CERN/ET/Internal Note 97-06 (June
1997) 2. Teller, E., Memoirs A Twentieth-Century
Journey in Science and Politics, Preseus,
Cambridge, MA (2001)
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Case Study China Electrical Power - Present and
Future
Source China Daily, Friday September 24, 2004
1 GW 1x109 Watt
Even if all hydro and wind resources are used, at
least 225 GW of more power is needed by
2010 Wind energy share of the total generation
can't exceed 15-20, without energy storage
capabilities. And what then? Coal, nuclear and
imported fuels, or Clean coal and solar
energy, and later 'clean safe' nuclear energy
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Energy and Renewables in Israel
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Electricity Capacity and Peak Demand in Israel
Population and Energy Consumption Growth
1981-2001

• Average annual population growth was 2.4 a
  total population increase of about 65.
• Total energy consumption increased by a factor of
  2.5
• Electricity peak demand rose more than fourfold
  from 2100 MW to 8750 MW

Courtesy of Dr. Michael Beyth, Chief Scientist,
Israel Ministry of National Infrastructure
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Annual solar radiation in the southern half of
Israel (the Negev desert)
Israel Renewable Energy Resources Abundance
potential of solar, plus some wind energy (600 MW
peak power)
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Government policy on renewable energy Key
Points

• Encourage the establishment and operation of
  electricity generation facilities powered by
  renewable energy
• New regulation provides a subsidy of 1.5- 2/kWh
  for renewable energy suppliers.
• Energy generated by renewable energy should
  constitute at least 2 of total electricity
  generation by 2007 and 5 by 2016.
• Inter-ministerial team to propose concrete
  implementation steps.

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Solar Thermal and Concentrated Solar Power
Overview
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Typical solar roof collectors for domestic water
heating on residential buildings in Israel
Extensive use of solar water heating saves
approximately 3 of fuel imports
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Commercial Solar Trough Plant
Arial view
Turbo-generator facility in the middle of a
trough reflectors field

• 350 kWe installed by Luz near Kramer Junction, CA
  in the1980s
• Development continues in Europe and Israel

Trough reflector Heat collection tube
Close up during routine cleaning
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Technologies in Pre-Commercial Stage
Dish-engine system developed by McDonnell-Douglas
during the 1980s now owned by SES
Solar Two 10 MW Power Tower near Barstow,
CA (development effort continues in Spain)
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Concentrated Photovoltaic Systems
200 kWe dense array CPV system built by Solar
Systems in Australiaabout 1 MW has been
installed
Amonix system made of Fresnel lenses CPV array
HiTek MicroDish system under construction
developed in cooperation with the Weizmann
Institute.
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Some Solar Thermal Development in Israel and
Abroad
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Weizmanns Solar Laboratoriesin operation since
1987

• A 54m high Solar Tower with 64 Heliostats, each
  with 56m2 of reflective area.
• Tower is set up as a laboratory, with 5 test
  levels, each capable of housing 2-3 experiments.
• Tests at the tower are conducted at a scale of 1
  kW to 1 MW
• Tower Reflector facilitates the development of
  high-temperature solar chemistry systems

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Solarized Gas-TurbineSystem Development
Small dish prototype with preliminary power
conversion unit during tests at HiTek (in
Huntsville, AL)
Rendering of dish-concentrator with solarized gas
turbine
Projections indicate that this systems, including
energy storage, could be competitive with
conventional fossil fuel power plants
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Power Conversion Unit
Hi-spool turbine and alternator
Porcupine absorber
Low-spool turbine and alternator
Exhaust
Recuperator
Concentrated solarradiation
Air input
Solar Receiver
Secondary Concentrator
Conical window
Concentrated solarradiation
Novel volumetric solar receiver developed by the
Weizmann Institute and EDIG Ltd.
Simple, low- maintenance air turbine generator,
with no use of water for cooling, and no heat
"radiators" or engine oil lubricants, developed
by Brayton Energy, New Hampshire USA
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Solarized Gas-TurbineAdvanced Receiver
Development

• The receiver absorbs concentrated sunlight and
  heats the air replacing fuel combustion
• Potential for high-efficiency, low-cost systems
• Can be used with either a solar tower, or dish
  concentrator
• Can use fuel to boost production during low solar
  periods, or after sunset

40 kWt test receiver
250 kWt receiver integrated with 70 kWe
microturbine
Receiver developed at the Weizmann Institute.
System development is in cooperation with several
industries in Israel and the US.
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Parabolic Dish Concentrators
The Australian National University 400m2 dish
APS Tracker for 320m2of collection area
HiTek Small dish prototype
Schlaich Bergermann und Partner dish
WGAssociates dish(Now owned by SES)
McDonnell-Douglas dish (Now owned by SES)
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New Research
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Next Generation of Solar Receivers Reactors
Test data and a photo taken during experiment
with a new solar receiver. Exit gas temperatures
of about 2000 K are reached with both nitrogen
and air. Similar values were also obtained with
CO2
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Solar-driven fuel productionGeneral Concept
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Solar Reforming Production of hydrogen rich
syngas
Methane reforming a) CH4 H2O ? 3H2 CO b)
CH4 CO2 ? 2H2 2CO
Experimental solar methane reformer with newly
developed radiation absorber and catalyst
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Solar Thermal-Electrochemical Dissociation of
Water at High Temperature
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Reduction of metal oxides Case Study Zinc
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Solar Reduction of Zinc Oxide
A project in cooperation between ETH/PSI
(Switzerland), CNRS-Odello (France), Weizmann
Institute (Israel), ScanArc (Sweden), and Zoxy
(Germany)
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Conclusion

• Solar is the only renewable energy available in
  large enough quantity to reduce, or at least
  lessen the increase use of fossil fuels.
• Solar energy, supplemented in time with clean,
  safe and proliferation-proof nuclear
  technologies, can provide all of mankind energy
  for many years.
• Large-scale economically competitive
  solar-thermal technology has been tested and can
  be commercial in 5-10 years, if development pace
  is accelerated.
• New research can lead to further improvements and
  widespread applications of solar energy in
• Cost-effective electricity generation
• Clean fuel production and material synthesis
• More efficient and lower-cost solar cells
• Various applications for domestic needs (e.g.
  space cooling and water heating)
• Energy saving and improved conditions in urban
  planning
• Medical applications
• Biomass gasification and much more