This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer

[ScienceRocks]

This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
by Joe Romm Jul 7, 2016 10:02 am

Converting sunlight directly into electricity, the photovoltaic (PV) solar panel industry has dominated the solar generation market recently because of its astounding price drops. Prices have fallen 99 percent in the past quarter century and over 80 percent since 2008 alone. This has also helped to slow the growth of the “other” form of solar, concentrating solar thermal power (CSP), which uses sunlight to heat water and use the steam to drive a turbine and generator.

Fortunately, one country appears to be making a major bet on CSP — China. SolarReserve, the company that built the Crescent Dunes plant (pictured above) recently announced a deal with the Shenhua Group, the world’s largest coal provider, to build 1,000 megawatts of CSP with storage in China. And the country as a whole has plans to build some 10,000 megawatts of CSP in the next five years.

I say “fortunately” because CSP has one huge potential advantage compared to PV. The heat it generates can be stored over 20 times more cheaply than electricity — and with far greater efficiency. So CSP’s “killer app” is that it can provide power long after the sun has set — and it doesn’t disrupt the grid when a cloud passes overhead.

China rocks! They want to lead and are doing everything to become the next great super power! China in history is one of the countries that have always invested in their own country and always been great for doing so.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Leading the way....

A Chinese artist vacuumed up Beijing's smog and made a brick from what he collected

 

[Correll]

This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
by Joe Romm Jul 7, 2016 10:02 am

Converting sunlight directly into electricity, the photovoltaic (PV) solar panel industry has dominated the solar generation market recently because of its astounding price drops. Prices have fallen 99 percent in the past quarter century and over 80 percent since 2008 alone. This has also helped to slow the growth of the “other” form of solar, concentrating solar thermal power (CSP), which uses sunlight to heat water and use the steam to drive a turbine and generator.

Fortunately, one country appears to be making a major bet on CSP — China. SolarReserve, the company that built the Crescent Dunes plant (pictured above) recently announced a deal with the Shenhua Group, the world’s largest coal provider, to build 1,000 megawatts of CSP with storage in China. And the country as a whole has plans to build some 10,000 megawatts of CSP in the next five years.

I say “fortunately” because CSP has one huge potential advantage compared to PV. The heat it generates can be stored over 20 times more cheaply than electricity — and with far greater efficiency. So CSP’s “killer app” is that it can provide power long after the sun has set — and it doesn’t disrupt the grid when a cloud passes overhead.

China rocks! They want to lead and are doing everything to become the next great super power! China in history is one of the countries that have always invested in their own country and always been great for doing so.

Sooooo, you libs are so concerned about global warming and yet you are celebrating an energy storage system that stores the energy as HEAT?

 

[cnm]

I bet you ran while holding scissors as well.

 

[cnm]

It's just another way of storing energy, rather than batteries, for example.

 

[Two Thumbs]

always love the claim; better than FF!

since it's bs every time

 

[Old Rocks]

This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
by Joe Romm Jul 7, 2016 10:02 am

Converting sunlight directly into electricity, the photovoltaic (PV) solar panel industry has dominated the solar generation market recently because of its astounding price drops. Prices have fallen 99 percent in the past quarter century and over 80 percent since 2008 alone. This has also helped to slow the growth of the “other” form of solar, concentrating solar thermal power (CSP), which uses sunlight to heat water and use the steam to drive a turbine and generator.

Fortunately, one country appears to be making a major bet on CSP — China. SolarReserve, the company that built the Crescent Dunes plant (pictured above) recently announced a deal with the Shenhua Group, the world’s largest coal provider, to build 1,000 megawatts of CSP with storage in China. And the country as a whole has plans to build some 10,000 megawatts of CSP in the next five years.

I say “fortunately” because CSP has one huge potential advantage compared to PV. The heat it generates can be stored over 20 times more cheaply than electricity — and with far greater efficiency. So CSP’s “killer app” is that it can provide power long after the sun has set — and it doesn’t disrupt the grid when a cloud passes overhead.

China rocks! They want to lead and are doing everything to become the next great super power! China in history is one of the countries that have always invested in their own country and always been great for doing so.

Sooooo, you libs are so concerned about global warming and yet you are celebrating an energy storage system that stores the energy as HEAT?

And you are trying to say what?

 

[Correll]

I bet you ran while holding scissors as well.

Obscure answer that ridicules me personally while not addressing my point. Standard lib tactic.

 

[Correll]

It's just another way of storing energy, rather than batteries, for example.

Sure. And what are the environmental effects of PURPOSEFULLY GENERATING HEAT?

 

[Correll]

This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
by Joe Romm Jul 7, 2016 10:02 am

Converting sunlight directly into electricity, the photovoltaic (PV) solar panel industry has dominated the solar generation market recently because of its astounding price drops. Prices have fallen 99 percent in the past quarter century and over 80 percent since 2008 alone. This has also helped to slow the growth of the “other” form of solar, concentrating solar thermal power (CSP), which uses sunlight to heat water and use the steam to drive a turbine and generator.

Fortunately, one country appears to be making a major bet on CSP — China. SolarReserve, the company that built the Crescent Dunes plant (pictured above) recently announced a deal with the Shenhua Group, the world’s largest coal provider, to build 1,000 megawatts of CSP with storage in China. And the country as a whole has plans to build some 10,000 megawatts of CSP in the next five years.

I say “fortunately” because CSP has one huge potential advantage compared to PV. The heat it generates can be stored over 20 times more cheaply than electricity — and with far greater efficiency. So CSP’s “killer app” is that it can provide power long after the sun has set — and it doesn’t disrupt the grid when a cloud passes overhead.

China rocks! They want to lead and are doing everything to become the next great super power! China in history is one of the countries that have always invested in their own country and always been great for doing so.

Sooooo, you libs are so concerned about global warming and yet you are celebrating an energy storage system that stores the energy as HEAT?

And you are trying to say what?

That your knee jerk celebration of an energy technology that, if widely adopted, would mean heat purposefully generated on a massive industrial scale shows that your positions on energy, and the environment are not based on rational thought.

Or any real thought at all.

 

[baileyn45]

This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
This ‘Other’ Form Of Solar Energy Can Run At Night, And It Just Got A Big Backer
by Joe Romm Jul 7, 2016 10:02 am

Converting sunlight directly into electricity, the photovoltaic (PV) solar panel industry has dominated the solar generation market recently because of its astounding price drops. Prices have fallen 99 percent in the past quarter century and over 80 percent since 2008 alone. This has also helped to slow the growth of the “other” form of solar, concentrating solar thermal power (CSP), which uses sunlight to heat water and use the steam to drive a turbine and generator.

Fortunately, one country appears to be making a major bet on CSP — China. SolarReserve, the company that built the Crescent Dunes plant (pictured above) recently announced a deal with the Shenhua Group, the world’s largest coal provider, to build 1,000 megawatts of CSP with storage in China. And the country as a whole has plans to build some 10,000 megawatts of CSP in the next five years.

I say “fortunately” because CSP has one huge potential advantage compared to PV. The heat it generates can be stored over 20 times more cheaply than electricity — and with far greater efficiency. So CSP’s “killer app” is that it can provide power long after the sun has set — and it doesn’t disrupt the grid when a cloud passes overhead.

China rocks! They want to lead and are doing everything to become the next great super power! China in history is one of the countries that have always invested in their own country and always been great for doing so.

It's always seemed to me that CSP and desailination would make good bedfellows. Floating CSP anyone?