CONCENTRATING SOLAR THERMAL POWER
TECHNOLOGY CLOSE UP
Manuel J. Blanco, Ph.D.
Director, Solar Thermal Energy Department
National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain
(CENER)
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1. Solar radiation as an energy source
INDEX
2. General characteristics of solar thermal
power systems
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal
(CST) technologies
4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern
Africa
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1. Solar radiation as an energy source
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1. Solar radiation as an energy source
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1. Solar radiation as an energy source
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1. Solar radiation as an energy source
Solar Constant = 1.367 W/m2
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2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems
Solar Radiation Characteristics Solar Thermal System Functional
Requirement
Low surface density Large collector areas to achieve aarge
powers
Intermittency & randomness Thermal storage
High exergy content (ability to
produce work)
High temperature operation minimizing
thermal losses
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The need for concentration
2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec
Maun Ghanzi Mahalapye Jwaneng Tsabong
2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems
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Concentrated radiation
Concentrator
Direct solar irradiance
(DNI)
Receiver
Thermal
Storage
Power
Block
Fosil Fuel/ BiomassAuxiliary
Boiler
GThermal
Energy
Electric Energy
2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems
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Parabolic Trough Linear Fresnel
Absorber tube and
secondary concentrator
Reflector
2D Concentrating technologies
1 Axis Tracking
Central Receiver Parabolic Dishes
3D Concentrating technologies
2 Axis Tracking
2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems
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WEIZMMAN, Rehovot, IsraelNSTTF, Nuevo Mexico, USA THEMIS, Targassone, France EURELIOS, Adriano, Italy SUNSHINE, Nio, Japan
SEGS Plant, California USA
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
CESA 1, PSA, Almería, España
SOLAR 1, California, USA
CRS, PSA, Almería, España
SOLAR 2, California, USA
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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SKAL-ET 150 Flagsol
Solargenix
EuroTrough
ALBIASA SOLAR
Acciona SGX SENER
SENER
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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• Array mirror surface
approximates a very large
parabolic surface
• Reflects light onto central line
receiver
• Array made of many parallel
and extended segments (one
segment shown here)
• Direct steam generation
“Keep It Solar Simple: KISS”
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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1.1 m
31 m77.5 m
10 m
3 m
2.25 m
13 m
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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Power Conversion System
Heliostat field
Receiver
Tower
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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North field Circular field
+ secondary reflectionBeam Down concept
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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Advanced Sodium Receiver
Pressurized Air Technology
Water/Steam Receiver
Open Air Receiver
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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Distributed generation:
• Up to 25kW
ConcentratorReceiver
Structure
Stirling Engine
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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STM
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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Applications Advantages Disadvantages
Centralized electricity generation
plants. Grid-Connected.
Maximum demonstrated power up
to date: 80MW.
Process heat production.
Commercially available.
Maximum solar to electrical
efficiency: 12% -16%
Hybridization and heat storage
capabilities.
Moderate operating temperatures
(up to 400ºC) due to thermal oil
characteristics and limitations.
Parabolic-Trough Collectors
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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Applications Advantages Disadvantages
Centralized electricity generation
plants. Grid-Connected.
Max. Power up to date: 1 MWe.
Process heat production.
Relatively low cost of
manufacturing.
Low maintenance. Simple
tracking system.
Efficient land use.
Direct steam generation.
Low operating
temperatures (up to 300ºC,
lower than parabolic-
trough). Relatively
immature technology for
commercial applications.
Linear Fresnel Collectors
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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Central Receiver (Tower)
Applications Advantages Disadvantages
Centralized electricity generation
plants. Grid-Connected.
Max. Power up to date: 20MW.
High temperature process heat
production.
Expected to achieve high efficiencies
in the mid-term (42%-%53% solar to
thermal conversion efficiencienciy at
565ºC reaching 23% solar to electric
peak efficiencies). Hybridization and
high temperature heat storage
capabilities.
Large uncertainty regarding
capital cost estimations and
other economic parameters.
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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Applications Advantages Disadvantages
Distributed and/or modular electricity
generation plants.
Grid-connected or standalone.
Max. Power up to date: 25 kWe
High efficiencies (up to 30% solar
to thermal peak efficiency)
Modularity and hybridization
capabilities.
Operational experience.
Hybrid systems have low burning
efficiency and reliability is not
demonstrated.
Dish-Stirling
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
Parabolic Trough
100%
58%
48%
16%
Linear Fresnel
100%
42%
34%
11%
Tower System
100%
62%
53%
Parabolic Dish
100%
82%
62%
18%
22%
Op
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Th
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An
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En
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
781 MW of CSTP plants
in advanced state of
construction.
A total of 2400 MW
already authorized and
planned for 2013.
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
Expected evolution of
the Levelized
Electricity Cost (LEC)
for Concentrated Solar
Thermal Power Plants
within Spain (25 years
lifetime) in Euro cents
per kWh.
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
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DNI Typical Histogram
4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern Africa
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Spain
Maun
Mahalapye
Ghanzi
Jwaneng
Tsabong
4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern Africa
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4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern Africa
Concentrating Solar Thermal Technologies (CST) for electricity
production are in the initial stages of commercial deployment.
These technologies, because of their technical characteristics, have the
potential to make a large contribution to the world energy mix.
As the industry develops it is expected that the CST technologies will
rapidly evolve to increase performance and reduce cost significantly in
the short to mid-term.
The speed at which these technical advances and cost reductions are
achieve will be critical to the determine the market penetration of CST
technologies in the next decade.
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