Concentrating Solar Power

Dr. Ashvini KumarMinistry of New and Renewable Energy

New Delhi – 110 003ashvinikr@nic.in

Why Solar for India?

• Huge growth in demand of energy due to high growth in

the economy and increasing population

• High pressure on bill of imports of fossil fuels

• Security of Source: From an energy security perspective,

solar is the most secure of all sources, since it is

abundantly available.

• Environmental impact: Solar energy is environmentally-

friendly as it has zero emissions while generating

electricity/heat.

5000 trillion kWh solar radiation incident in a year over India

Radiation data is collected by India Meteorological Department

Daily solar radiation 4 - 7 kWh per sq. m.

Most parts of the country receive solar radiation sufficient enough to effectively utilize solar energy systems

Typically, 2.0 hectare of open space is required for one mega watt solar power plant

Solar Resource Availability in

India

Developments in India

• Research activities started even before a separate Government department was created in 1982.

• Work on the development of solar concentrators was taken up at National physics laboratory, New Delhi.

• Work on CSP has been supported through

– Research and development activities

– Demonstration Projects

– Very recently, by providing Generation Based incentive

50 kW Capacity Plant at SEC

• Was installed at SEC during 1989.

• Specifications

Technology : Parabolic Trough

Collector area : 1250 sq.m.

Heat transfer fluid : Hytherm 500

Temperatures : Inlet 200 C, outlet 300 C

Design conditions: 600 W/sq.m., mass flow rate of 3.8 kg/hr,

Solar Collector efficiency: 55%

Thermal storage : Thermocline, 14 cu.m., hytherm 500

Turbine : Inlet conditions 230 C, 32 bar

150 kW capacity derated to 50 kW

Overall efficiency: 10%

Status: Suffered due to non-availability of spare parts.

Indian Efforts 50 kW Solar Thermal Power Plant at SEC

Solar Dish-Stirling System

– A 10-kWe solar Stirling system was installed at

Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu

– The system used SOLO (V-161) Stirling engine from

SBP, Germany. The engine developed leakages.

R&D Projects Supported(Under Implementation)

• Development of Stirling engine of 1.5 kWe net electrical power - at IIT Bombay.

• Development of high temperature (> 600 deg C) black coating for applications in solar thermal power - NAL, Bangalore.

• Establishment of MW-scale solar thermal test and simulation facility - IIT Bombay and a consortium of industries.

• Design, development and installation of 1.0 MW solar thermal power plant with 16 hours of storage at Mount Abu, Rajasthan.

• Design and development of indirectly heated Solar dish Stirling system of up to 1500 W capacity – IISc., Bangalore

Indian Solar Dish

• A large area solar dish of 160 m2

area was developed and installed for milk pasteurization at Latur by IIT Bombay to provide heat at 160 deg C

• Automatic tracking system is used; normal window glass has been used for reflector.

• Design of the dish has been upgraded for use in power projects. Aperture area is now 169 m2 .

MNRE Demonstration Programme

• Demonstration Programme on Grid Interactive Solar Power Generation was launched in March 2009.

• The programme has a provision to provide generation based incentive of a maximum of Rs. 10 /kWh for the electricity generated and fed to the grid from solar thermal power project.

• The capacity of the eligible plants to be 1 – 5 MW.

• Maximum cumulative capacity of 10 MW can be set up in one State.

• Total target capacity of the programme is 25 MW.

• Three projects of 11 MW cumulative capacity are expected shortly. Balance capacity projects are in pipeline.

National Solar Mission

• As a part of National Action Plan on Climate Change,

setting up of National Solar Mission is being undertaken.

• The basic target of NSM is to create an enabling policy

framework for the deployment of 20,000 MW of solar

energy by 2022

– through ramp up of capacity addition of grid-connected solar

power generation to few thousands of megawatts in next 6-7 years

– Mandatory use of the renewable purchase obligation by Utilities

with a specific solar provision

– Favorable generation based incentive.

– Large capacity demonstration solar power plants with storage and

hybrid configurations through global tariff bidding

National Solar Mission

• To create favourable conditions for solar manufacturing capability, particularly solar thermal for indigenous production and market leadership.

• To promote programmes for off grid applications

• Thermal applications to include solar water heating, solar cooking, industrial process heat, solar cooling, space heating, electricity generation

• Photovoltaic applications to include deployment of millions of solar lights, roof top systems, power packs

National Solar Mission

• To achieve 20 million sq. meters solar thermal collector area by 2022.

• The key strategy would be through mandatory provisions in building bylaws and the National Building Code.

• Enhanced infrastructure for certification and rating of manufacturers of solar thermal applications.

• Promotion through local agencies and power utilities

• To support upgradation of technologies and manufacturing capacities through soft loans, to achieve higher efficiencies and cost reduction.

National Solar Mission

• A major R&D initiative to focus on

- Improvement of efficiencies in existing materials, devices and applications

- Reducing costs of balance of systems,

- Establishing new applications by addressing issues related to integration and optimization

- Developing cost-effective storage technologies.

R&D Approach

• Centres of Excellence

• Basic Research

• Applied Research

• Establishment of Major facilities

• Technology evaluation and validation

projects

Research AreasBasic Research

• Development of advanced power cycles, to improve cyclic efficiencies (which are at best about 30% presently) and therefore the overall conversion efficiency of grid connected solar thermal power plant;

• Development of advance selective coatings for applications on high temperature solar receivers for power generation and smart windows for solar buildings

• Development of improved reflectors (new materials as well as upgrade of existing ones) having low cost and good outdoor durability, high solar reflectivity (>92%), good mechanical resistance to withstand periodical washing and low soiling coefficient (<0.15%).

• Development of advance processes for solar detoxification of air and water, solar desalination, very high temperature applications.

• Development of advanced solar thermal collectors (concentrating as well as heat-pipe) for generating heat beyond 80 deg C.

Applied Research

• Development of organic Rankine cycle system suitable for solar thermal collectors for decentralized power generation.

• Development of solar dish engine (Stirling/Steam/Micro-turbine) for decentralized power generation

• Development of receiver systems for parabolic trough, solar-dish and central receiver power technologies.

• Development of storage systems which are efficient in terms of energy losses, have low cost, long service life and low parasitic power requirements.

This would include molten salts with lower freezing temperatures and PCM. Options for low and medium temperature applications also to be targeted.

Applied Research• Development of heliostats with automatic tracking controls

• Optimized designing of supporting structure for solar concentrators to have lower weight, reduced power requirement, accurate tracking, and simplified assembly to facilitate faster on-site installations

• Power bloc suitable for solar power applications

• Alternative design configurations of concentrating collector systems

• Advanced solar systems for cooling (space cooling, cold storages, and refrigerators for PHCs)

• Development of other applications, which would include innovative designs for solar cooking, solar air heating and drying applications.

• Development of concepts of solar/green buildings

• Designing of test set-ups for performance characterization and test protocols

Technology Validation and Pilot Projects

• Demonstration projects related to different technology configurations of solar thermal power generation viz. line focusing and point focusing, having variance in storage option and nature of hybridization

• Solar air conditioning/cooling systems for applications in domestic, commercial and industrial sectors.

• Industrial process heat systems

• Advanced solar thermal systems for various applications

Who can apply?

• Solely by National R & D Organizations and Institutions

• Solely by in-house R&D unit (s) of industrial firms

• A single or consortia of company(ies), led by Indian Company. An Indian company is defined as the one in which more than 51% ownership is by Indian citizens.

• Jointly by Industry and National R&D organizations and Institutions

• Start ups