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Title: Modelling Concentrating Solar Power with Thermal Energy Storage for Integration Studies (Presentation)

Conference ·
OSTI ID:1097301

Concentrating solar power with thermal energy storage (CSP-TES) can provide multiple benefits to the grid, including low marginal cost energy and the ability to levelize load, provide operating reserves, and provide firm capacity. It is challenging to properly value the integration of CSP because of the complicated nature of this technology. Unlike completely dispatchable fossil sources, CSP is a limited energy resource, depending on the hourly and daily supply of solar energy. To optimize the use of this limited energy, CSP-TES must be implemented in a production cost model with multiple decision variables for the operation of the CSP-TES plant. We develop and implement a CSP-TES plant in a production cost model that accurately characterizes the three main components of the plant: solar field, storage tank, and power block. We show the effect of various modelling simplifications on the value of CSP, including: scheduled versus optimized dispatch from the storage tank and energy-only operation versus co-optimization with ancillary services.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Technologies Program
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1097301
Report Number(s):
NREL/PR-6A20-60629
Resource Relation:
Conference: Presented at the 2013 International Workshop on Integration of Solar Power into Power Systems, 20 - 22 October 2013, London, United Kingdom; Related Information: NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English