Up to 6-cent per kilowatt-hour extra value with concentrated solar power

Date:

June 10, 2014

Source:

DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Summary:

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) projects would add additional value of 5 or 6 cents per kilowatt hour to utility-scale solar energy in California where 33 percent renewables will be mandated in six years, a new report has found.

 solar power

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) projects would add additional value of 5 or 6 cents per kilowatt hour to utility-scale solar energy in California where 33 percent renewables will be mandated in six years, a new report by the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has found.

The report, "Estimating the Value of Utility-Scale Solar Technologies in California Under a 40% Renewable Portfolio Standard," finds that CSP, with its ability to store energy for several hours or more, helps maintain firm capacity in the hours when the sun is below the horizon. Compared to variable generation technologies this translates to an increase in value of 5 cents per kilowatt hour under a 33% renewable standard -- the mandate for 2020 -- or 6 cents per kilowatt hour under a 40% renewable standard. The added value means that at peak demands, CSP can help lower electricity bills.

"CSP adds significant additional value when compared to less flexible generation sources," NREL CSP Group Manager Mark Mehos, co-author with Jennie Jorgenson and Paul Denholm of the study, said. "As the penetration of renewables rises, so does the relative value of CSP. CSP could also allow greater penetration of PV by making the grid more flexible and reducing curtailment of PV by generating energy after the sun sets. We intend to investigate this in more detail for the remainder of this year."

While photovoltaic modules capture the sun's light and turns it into useable electricity, CSP technologies concentrate the sun's energy and capture that energy as heat, which then drives an engine or turbine to produce electrical power. However, the thermal energy CSP generates can be held back for several hours via storage systems such as molten salts -- and then used after the sun sets when demand is still high for, say, air conditioning, television, and lighting.

The new report, funded through the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in support of its SunShot Initiative, compares the total operating costs of a system with and without an incremental amount of CSP with thermal energy storage or solar PV. It also analyzes capacity value. The report is the second in a series of analyses of the value of CSP with thermal energy storage. The previous report, "Estimating the Performance and Economic Value of Multiple Concentrating Solar Power Technologies in a Production Cost Model," is available on NREL's web site.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Report: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/61685.pdf

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140610205520.htm

The Amazon Rainforest Resources

May 22, 2014 | Posted by Evssadmin | Comments Off

We have all heard about the Amazon rainforest, probably since childhood. This rainforest has been harvested for wood, hunted for exotic animals, preyed upon by land developers and strip mall owners, and generally stripped of its natural beauty and splendor over the past sixty years.

The resources of the Amazon rainforest are not unlimited, however. You see, we need to be able to either replenish it or stop stripping it, either one, so that it may retain its majestic mysteries within it.

People who have had private tours through this area have commented on how huge the exotic animals are, from snakes to insects to tigers to lions. They have gloried in how large everything is and how much they enjoyed the dark, mysterious abyss of the rainforest ahead of them, particularly at night.

These resources must not be squandered, however. It is really important to always have enough to go around, and that means enough exotic monkeys and eucalyptus trees. Yes, we said it.

When you are looking to improve your world, remember the Amazon rainforest and think about ways to really make all of your resources perform double duty for you and your business. That is why it is a really good idea to look at the chemical solutions that we put out. Our environmental cleaning products, like our toilet bowl cleaner, radiator cleaner, and glass cleaner, are all eco friendly and safe for the environment. All of us are really hoping to bring these environmentally friendly liquids to all parts of the world, but for now we provide them to Australia and select countries. If your business is going green, then think about ways in which you can become a part of this movement by looking through our website and viewing the information on the individual product pages. That is the most important thing: educating yourself on what a difference these solutions will make in your business. Now that you’ve decided to make the most of your resources, call up Envirosafe Solutions today and place your order

http://www.envirosafesolutions.com.au/articles/the-amazon-rainforest-resources/