Economic evaluation of solar-only and hybrid power towers using molten salt technology
Several hybrid and solar-only configurations for molten-salt power towers were evaluated with a simple economic model, appropriate for screening analysis. The solar specific aspects of these plants were highlighted. In general, hybrid power towers were shown to be economically superior to solar-only plants with the same field size. Furthermore, the power-booster hybrid approach was generally preferred over the fuel-saver hybrid approach. Using today`s power tower technology, economic viability for the solar power-boost occurs at fuel costs in the neighborhood of $2.60/MBtu to $4.40/ MBtu (low heating value) depending on whether coal-based or gas-turbine-based technology is being offset. The cost Of CO[sub 2] avoidance was also calculated for solar cases in which the fossil fuel cost was too low for solar to be economically viable. The avoidance costs are competitive with other proposed methods of removing CO[sub 2] from fossil-fired power plants.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 459841
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--96-2454C; CONF-961016--2; ON: DE97000756
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
CARBON DIOXIDE
COMMERCIALIZATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COOLING SYSTEMS
COST
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GAS TURBINE POWER PLANTS
HOT GAS CLEANUP
HYBRID SYSTEMS
INTERCONNECTED POWER SYSTEMS
MARKET
MOLTEN SALTS
POWER GENERATION
REMOVAL
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR RECEIVERS
TOWER FOCUS POWER PLANTS