Solar receiver power plants

If the March insolation in Figure 1.28 also represents the yearly average, then each square meter of collector area receives 2,628 kWh/yr. If these numbers are correct, and if the collector efficiency is 20% (solar collector efficiencies can range from 5 to over 30%), then each square meter of collector area will produce 526 kWh/yr. Based on such calculations, one can calculate the area requirements of solar-hydrogen power plants in any location (see Section 4.2). 

In Boulder City, Nevada, in 2006 the construction of a 250 million, 64 mW solar thermal power plant named Solar One started. It uses Schott s new PTR 70 solar receivers and is built by Solargenix Energy. 

Concentrated solar thermal power plants with heliostats, solar receiver (heat exchanger) on a tower, and molten salt heat storage system (for details, see Fig. 1.10). Molten salt maximum temperature is 565°C. Rankine steam turbine power cycle used. Up to 20... 

Practical Utilization, Since the potential reserves of 235U are limited, some point will be reached where this power source no longer will be competitive with fossil fuels, synthetic fuels, solar power plants, etc.—unless the development of means for the practical utilization of plutonium can be achieved. An important element of nuclear fuel cost is the credit received from the sale or future utilization of plutonium after its recovery from spent fuel. The plutonium credit is realistic only if the plutonium is used for power production, since, at present, there are few commercial uses envisioned where it would yield a similar economic return. 

Insolation (the solar energy received by an area of 1 m2) varies with the geographic location, weather, orientation of the collectors, and with diurnal and seasonal weather variations. Solar power plants have been built on all five continents, mostly in the high-insolation areas near the equator. There are also plans to collect solar energy on artificial islands in the oceans and in other locations including space stations and solar satellites. 

Solar One - A solar thermal electric central reciever power plant ("power tower") located in Barstow, California, and completed in 1981. The Solar One had a design capacity of 10,000 peak kilowatts, and was composed of a receiver located on the top of a tower surrounded by a field of reflectors. The concentrated sunlight created steam to drive a steam turbine and electric generator located on the ground. 

The solar receiver systems concentrate the solar radiation for large-scale energy production including distribution. CSP systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. The concentrated heat is then used as a heat source for a conventional power plant. One technology, and the most advanced, uses rows of parabolic... 

Both wind and solar represent favored green energies, which imder the PURPA act of 1978 receive favorable treatment from utilities, which must buy these at the avoided cost, even though these sources of power are unreliable because of the weather. In addition, units built before December 31,2013, receive an additional 1.9 cents/kWh subsidy from the government. Thus, for merchant plants, both solar and wind have very attractive economics presently, and it is likely that Congress will make certain that these advantages are continued. 

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