Enabling Greater Penetration of Solar Power via the Use of CSP with Thermal Energy Storage

Citations Over Time

Abstract

At high penetration of solar generation there are a number of challenges to economically integrating this variable and uncertain resource. These include the limited coincidence between the solar resource and normal demand patterns and limited flexibility of conventional generators to accommodate variable generation resources. Of the large number of technologies that can be used to enable greaterpenetration of variable generators, concentrating solar power (CSP) with thermal energy storage (TES) presents a number of advantages. The use of storage enables this technology to shift energy production to periods of high demand or reduced solar output. In addition, CSP can provide substantial grid flexibility by rapidly changing output in response to the highly variable net load created byhigh penetration of solar (and wind) generation. In this work we examine the degree to which CSP may be complementary to PV by performing a set of simulations in the U.S. Southwest to demonstrate the general potential of CSP with TES to enable greater use of solar generation, including additional PV.

Related Papers

• → Review on concentrating solar power plants and new developments in high temperature thermal energy storage technologies(2015)895 cited
• → Two-tank molten salt storage for parabolic trough solar power plants(2003)605 cited
• → Performance assessment of an oil-based packed bed thermal energy storage unit in a demonstration concentrated solar power plant(2020)33 cited
• → Slag as an inventory material for heat storage in a concentrated solar tower power plant: Final project results of experimental studies on design and performance of the thermal energy storage(2020)6 cited
• → Development of molten chloride salts for thermal energy storage in next generation concentrated solar power (CSP) plants(2018)1 cited