Kompulsa – Geography | Energy

Gemasolar has completed the construction of the world’s first solar thermal power plant that is to generate electricity all day and night without interruption or variability.

This is a 19.9 MW plant with 15 hours of what is called thermal energy storage to back it up. It stores energy in what is sometimes called a salt “battery” which is not actually a battery but a tank of salt which is capable of storing large amounts of heat which can then be used when needed at night or during cloudy weather to boil water to produce steam which is needed to drive electricity generating steam turbines. Heat is actually thermal energy, hence the term thermal energy storage.

You probably already guessed that when weather is cloudy, there is not as much energy available and the power plant generates less than it is supposed to, therefore the stored heat compensates for that and keeps it at full power 24/7.

The issue of the variable power production of solar power plants has plagued that industry for a very long time and that is starting to change. This is one of two solar thermal projects that store energy for use at night time and during cloudy weather. Here is another that is to be constructed.

The salt solution is 60% potassium nitrate and 40% sodium nitrate. This is called a baseload power plant. Baseload power plants provide electricity reliabily all day without interruption or uncontrollable variability.

This project is one of two energy storage milestones that will likely lead to more similar projects in the future if they prove themselves to be viable.

Source: Forbes.

Share and Enjoy