Optimizing the value-to cost ratio for central receiver electric power plants

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3268307· OSTI ID:6772327

Dirks, J A ^[1]; Chiang, C J ^[2]

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1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

Typically, solar thermal power plants are designed to minimize the levelized energy cost. However, to maximize the benefit of a solar plant and, hence, maximize the wealth of an investor or a utility, a solar plant should be designed and operated with the objective of maximizing the value-to-cost ratio. This paper describes a value and cost analysis of solar central receiver power plants using molten salt external receiver technology. These plants were assumed to operate within the service area of the Southern California Edison Company. The SOLERGY computer code was used to simulate the performance of the solar plants using 1984 weather data for Barstow, California. A value-maximizing dispatch strategy that uses thermal storage to shift operation of the turbine from nonpeak demand periods to the utility's peak demand period, is shown to greatly increase the value of a solar central receiver power plant with little increase in the levelized energy cost. Results are presented as functions of storage capacity, type of dispatch strategy, size of the field relative to the turbine, and turbine size.

• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6772327
• Journal Information: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (USA) Vol. 111:3; ISSN 0199-6231; ISSN JSEED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140300 -- Solar Energy-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
140702* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems-- Central Receiver
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200 -- Mathematics & Computers
CENTRAL RECEIVERS
COMPUTER CODES
COST
DESIGN
ENERGY STORAGE
HEAT STORAGE
MACHINERY
OPTIMIZATION
PERFORMANCE
POWER PLANTS
S CODES
SEASONAL THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE
SIMULATION
SIZE
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR RECEIVERS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
STORAGE
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY