Potential impacts of global climate change on solar thermal power systems

Conference · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:5983644

Williams, T A; Brown, D R; Dirks, J A; Humphreys, K K; LaMarche, J L

As evidence mounts that carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) concentrations in the atmosphere are increasing, debate is growing over what should be done to mitigate the anthropogenic sources of CO{sub 2}. The purpose of this paper is to take an initial look at whether the global climate change problem could impact the economic feasibility of solar thermal electric plants relative to fossil-fueled power plants. Specifically, this paper compares the costs for reducing CO{sub 2} emissions from the utility industry through two strategies: substituting a solar thermal central receiver power plant for coal-fired plants versus removing/disposing of the carbon from the emissions of coal plants. For the technologies analyzed and the set of assumptions used, using solar thermal technology to generate electricity appears to be a less expensive way of reducing CO{sub 2} emissions than removing the CO{sub 2} emissions from the coal-fired plant. While additional studies would be needed to comprehensively evaluate other alternatives, the results shown here indicate that solar thermal power systems should be carefully considered among the alternatives for reducing CO{sub 2} emissions. 15 refs., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5983644
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-17245; CONF-900449--11; ON: DE91011239
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140300 -- Solar Energy-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
140400 -- Solar Energy-- Environmental Aspects
140700* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200500 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Environmental Aspects-- (1990-)
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPLIANCE
CONTROL
COST
ECONOMICS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POWER PLANTS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
STANDARDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS