Techno-economic projections for advanced small solar thermal electric power plants to years 1990--2000
Advanced technologies applicable to solar thermal electric power systems in the 1990--2000 time-frame are delineated for power applications that fulfill a wide spectrum of small power needs with primary emphasis on power ratings <10 MWe. Techno-economic projections of power system characteristics (energy and capital costs as a function of capacity factor) are made based on development of identified promising technologies. The key characteristic of advanced technology systems is an efficient low-cost solar energy collection while achieving high temperatures for efficient energy conversion. Two-axis tracking systems such as the central receiver or power tower concept and distributed parabolic dish receivers possess this characteristic. For these two basic concepts, advanced technologies including, e.g., conversion systems such as Stirling engines, Brayton/Rankine combined cycles and storage/transport concepts encompassing liquid metals, and reversible-reaction chemical systems are considered. In addition to techno-economic aspects, technologies are also judged in terms of factors such as developmental risk, relative reliability, and probability of success. Improvements accruing to projected advanced technology systems are measured with respect to current (or pre-1985) steam-Rankine systems, as represented by the central receiver pilot plant being constructed near Barstow, California. These improvements, for both central receivers and parabolic dish systems, indicate that pursuit of advanced technology across a broad front can result in post-1985 solar thermal systems having the potential of approaching the goal of competitiveness with conventional power systems; i.e., capital costs of $600 kWe and energy costs of 50 mills/kWe-hr (1977 dollars).
- Research Organization:
- California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Jet Propulsion Lab. (JPL)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EX-76-A-29-1060
- OSTI ID:
- 6360565
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/JPL/1060-4; JPL-PUB-79-25
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
BRAYTON CYCLE
COMBINED CYCLES
DESIGN
DISTRIBUTED COLLECTOR POWER PLANTS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ENERGY STORAGE
EVALUATION
FORECASTING
POWER RANGE 1-10 KW
POWER RANGE 1-10 MW
POWER RANGE 10-100 KW
POWER RANGE 100-1000 KW
POWER SYSTEMS
RANKINE CYCLE
RELIABILITY
SENSIBLE HEAT STORAGE
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR TRACKING
STIRLING CYCLE
THERMOCHEMICAL HEAT STORAGE
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
TOWER FOCUS POWER PLANTS
US DOE
USES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
HEAT STORAGE
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POWER PLANTS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
STORAGE
US ORGANIZATIONS
140700* - Solar Thermal Power Systems
299001 - Energy Planning & Policy- Solar- (1989-)