Re:World’s Largest Solar Thermal Power Plant Delivers Power ...
by raverbashing on Wednesday September 25, 2013 @08:55AM
(#6444219)
Intersting!
Well, I don't know the details, if it works directly with steam then the circuits must withstand a high pressure as well no? (which can justify the higher cost)
But I thought that for thermal solar the most common case would be a molten salt circuit (high temperature low pressure) transferring heat to a steam circuit for better efficiency (and the heat storage capability of the salt)
Ah yes, the technology is not that new (it's heating with the sun after all)
Re:World’s Largest Solar Thermal Power Plant Delivers Power ...
by ndonnellan on Wednesday September 25, 2013 @09:18AM
(#6444339)
You are correct on both points. But you have to keep in mind that these projects were conceived more than 5 years ago, when everyone was hesitant to build a $2b salt plant. When you combine big money with old engineers, you get very conservative (with respect to technology).
For comparison, Solar Reserve has a salt plant under construction: http://www.solarreserve.com/what-we-do/csp-projects/crescent...
It's not quite as simple as which area is the biggest cost component; in my experience everything adds up. You see that giant structure next to the tower? That's an air-cooled condenser, much more expensive than a wet-cooling tower, but doesn't use any water. Wouldn't surprise me if that one component cost >$50m.
For the record, power towers have been around since at least the 1980s; the technology isn't super novel, but it's all in the cost reductions since then.