<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/clean-steam-age-solar-thermal-can-be-an-economic-lifeline-for-coal-and-gas-regions/>
"While PV, wind and batteries have changed our energy mix forever and for the
better, the steam-driven turbine, long associated with fossil fuel-fired power,
is on the cusp of its own renewable revolution.
Steam turbine driven power plants have been historically the backbone of the
electrical system due to their technical capabilities, supporting the grid and
connecting inertia to the system.
Concentrated solar thermal technology promises the same benefits as a
turbine-driven power plant but is 100% renewable. This technology could be the
next jobs boom for regional Australia, offering a genuine transition for fossil
fuel workers to work in similar roles in the renewables industry.
Concentrated solar thermal is the ‘other’ solar power that complements its more
widely-used cousin, solar PV. While solar PV turns photons into electrons,
solar thermal captures the sun’s heat.
These plants focus the sun’s rays with mirrors to heat a fluid and store the
heat, typically in molten salt tanks. The heat is used to produce steam and to
drive a steam turbine to generate electricity.
As the heat can be stored, it can generate dispatchable electricity 24/7
on-demand, ramping up or down according to the market or providing power
overnight.
The steam and the heat generated can be used for industrial processes
increasing the efficiency of the plant. This technology provides clean
dispatchable power alongside the system-strength benefits of electricity
generated from a steam-driven turbine.
Around 100 utility-scale solar thermal plants are in operation globally. China
is building 28 of these plants and Spain’s solar thermal plants have an
installed capacity of more than 2,300 megawatts. Dubai has commissioned a 700MW
solar thermal project with 15 hours of storage.
Despite Australia’s high rates of solar radiation and availability of land, we
have no utility-scale CSP plants in operation. This is a missed opportunity for
the regions where coal and gas power plants currently operate, and where CSP
plants would be located."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
