Solar Thermal Power Generation Training Report

Can solar thermal power plants replace fossil fuel power plants?

Solar thermal power plants can replace fossil fuel power plants in their role as base load and peak load generators. For direct, decentralised power supply to industrial areas, smaller CSP systems are economically interesting if the industrial customers buy not only electricity but also process heat. 4. Are solar thermal power plants competitive?

How does solar thermal power generation work?

Solar thermal power generation systems use mirrors to collect sunlight and produce steam by solar heat to drive turbines for generating power. This system generates power by rotating turbines like thermal and nuclear power plants, and therefore, is suitable for large-scale power generation.

Why are solar thermal power plants important?

Since solar thermal power plants can feed their electricity into the power grid even after sunset, they are of particular value for an energy system based on renewable energy sources. Solar thermal power plants are of strategic importance in sunny countries to be able to phase out coal and gas power plants in the future.

Can solar thermal power plants guarantee supply security?

Introduction Solar thermal power plants can guarantee supply security by integration of thermal energy storages and/ or by using a solar fossil hybrid operation strategy. Only few technologies among the renewables offer this base- load ability. Therefore it is predicted that they will have a significant market share of the future energy sector.

Are solar thermal power plants controllable?

Since power generation can be flexibly adapted to demand, solar thermal power plants are referred to as controllable power plants. Solar thermal power plants have an additional advantage. If there is little solar radiation for several days due to the weather, they can be operated in hybrid mode.

Can solar thermal energy be a reliable component of industrial process heat supply?

An IEA working group, in which German research insti-tutions and industrial partners are playing a significant role, is addressing these challenges with the aim of making solar thermal energy a recognised and reliable component of indus-trial process heat supply (IEA 2020: Task 64).