CONCENTRATING SOLAR THERMAL POWER

TECHNOLOGY CLOSE UP

Manuel J. Blanco, Ph.D.

Director, Solar Thermal Energy Department
National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain
(CENER)
INDEX

1. Solar radiation as an energy source

2. General characteristics of solar thermal

power systems

3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal

(CST) technologies

4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern

Africa

2
1. Solar radiation as an energy source

3
1. Solar radiation as an energy source

4
1. Solar radiation as an energy source

5
1. Solar radiation as an energy source

Solar Constant = 1.367 W/m2

6
2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems

Solar Radiation Characteristics Solar Thermal System Functional

Requirement
Low surface density Large collector areas to achieve aarge
powers

Intermittency & randomness Thermal storage

High exergy content (ability to High temperature operation minimizing

produce work) thermal losses

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 2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems

The need for concentration

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2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems

60%

Maun Ghanzi Mahalapye Jwaneng Tsabong

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec

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2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems

Direct solar
irradiance
(DNI) Electric
Energy

Concentrator
Concentrated
radiation

Receiver

Thermal Power
Energy Thermal
Block G
Storage

Auxiliary
Fosil Fuel/ Biomass Boiler

10
2. General characteristics of solar thermal power systems

2D Concentrating technologies 3D Concentrating technologies

1 Axis Tracking 2 Axis Tracking

Absorber tube and

secondary concentrator

Reflector

Parabolic Trough Linear Fresnel Central Receiver Parabolic Dishes

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 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

SEGS Plant, California USA

CESA 1, PSA, Almería, España CRS, PSA, Almería, España

SOLAR 1, California, USA SOLAR 2, California, USA

NSTTF, Nuevo Mexico, USA WEIZMMAN, Rehovot, Israel THEMIS, Targassone, France EURELIOS, Adriano, Italy SUNSHINE, Nio, Japan

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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

13
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

14
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

15
 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

SKAL-ET 150 Flagsol EuroTrough

Acciona SGX SENER

ALBIASA SOLAR
Solargenix SENER

16
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

17
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

18
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

19
 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

• Array mirror surface

approximates a very large
parabolic surface

• Reflects light onto central line

receiver

• Array made of many parallel

and extended segments (one
segment shown here)

• Direct steam generation

“Keep It Solar Simple: KISS”

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 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

1.1 m

10 m

2.25 m
77.5 m
3m 31 m

13 m

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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

22
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

23
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

Receiver

Tower

Heliostat field

Power Conversion
System

24
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

25
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

North field Circular field

+ secondary reflection
Beam Down concept

26
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

27
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

Open Air Receiver

Water/Steam Receiver

Pressurized Air Technology

Advanced Sodium Receiver

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 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

Receiver Concentrator

Stirling Engine

Distributed generation:
• Up to 25kW

Structure

29
3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

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 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

STM

31
 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

Parabolic-Trough Collectors

Applications Advantages Disadvantages

Centralized electricity generation
plants. Grid-Connected.
Maximum demonstrated power up
to date: 80MW.
Process heat production.
Commercially available.
Maximum solar to electrical
efficiency: 12% -16%
Hybridization and heat storage
capabilities.
Moderate operating temperatures
(up to 400ºC) due to thermal oil
characteristics and limitations.

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 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
Linear Fresnel Collectors
Applications
Centralized electricity generation
plants. Grid-Connected.
Max. Power up to date: 1 MWe.
Process heat production.
Advantages Disadvantages
Relatively low cost of Low operating
manufacturing. temperatures (up to 300ºC,
Low maintenance. Simple lower than parabolic-
tracking system. trough). Relatively
Efficient land use. immature technology for
commercial applications.
Direct steam generation.
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 3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies
Central Receiver (Tower)
Applications
Centralized electricity generation
plants. Grid-Connected.
Max. Power up to date: 20MW.
High temperature process heat
production.
Advantages Disadvantages
Expected to achieve high efficiencies Large uncertainty regarding
in the mid-term (42%-%53% solar to capital cost estimations and
thermal conversion efficiencienciy at other economic parameters.
565ºC reaching 23% solar to electric
peak efficiencies). Hybridization and
high temperature heat storage
capabilities.
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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

Dish-Stirling

Applications Advantages Disadvantages

Distributed and/or modular electricity
generation plants.
Grid-connected or standalone.
Max. Power up to date: 25 kWe
High efficiencies (up to 30% solar
to thermal peak efficiency)
Modularity and hybridization
capabilities.
Operational experience.
Hybrid systems have low burning
efficiency and reliability is not
demonstrated.

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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

100% 100% 100% 100%

Annual Direct Solar Energy at the Input Aperture

82%

62% 62%
58%
53%
48%
42%
34%

22%
Optical

18%
Thermal

16%
11%

Linear Fresnel Parabolic Trough Tower System Parabolic Dish

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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

 781 MW of CSTP plants

in advanced state of
construction.
 A total of 2400 MW
already authorized and
planned for 2013.

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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

Expected evolution of
the Levelized
Electricity Cost (LEC)
for Concentrated Solar
Thermal Power Plants
within Spain (25 years
lifetime) in Euro cents
per kWh.

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3. Overview of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies

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4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern Africa

DNI Typical Histogram

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4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern Africa

Spain Ghanzi

Maun Jwaneng

Mahalapye Tsabong

42
4. Suitability of CST technologies for Southern Africa

Concentrating Solar Thermal Technologies (CST) for electricity

production are in the initial stages of commercial deployment.

These technologies, because of their technical characteristics, have the

potential to make a large contribution to the world energy mix.

As the industry develops it is expected that the CST technologies will

rapidly evolve to increase performance and reduce cost significantly in
the short to mid-term.

The speed at which these technical advances and cost reductions are
achieve will be critical to the determine the market penetration of CST
technologies in the next decade.

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