Hamilton Sundstrand and US Renewables Group announced on January 2, 2008 that they would commercialize concentrated solar-power plants that will use molten salt to store the sun’s heat so that it can be converted to electrical power even when the sun isn’t shining.
According to Hamilton Sundstrand, molten salt loses only about 1% of its heat during a day, making it possible to store energy for long periods of time. The salt is a mixture of sodium and potassium nitrate which has been heated to more than 565 degrees Celsius.
The company says plants using this method will be able to generate as much as 500 megawatts of peak power or run continuously at 50 megawatts. One megawatt is enough to power about 1,000
Concentrated solar-power stations will likely represent only a small part of the world’s power generation needs. They are most suited for regions that have a combination of predominantly sunny climates and large open space. A typical plant comprises a 480-hectare field of mirrors, called heliostats that reflect the sun’s energy to a 180-meter tower. The tower houses the receiver that collects the sun’s energy.
Source: WSJ, 02/01/08
dimanche 6 janvier 2008
Concentrated solar-power plants
