| Solar Energy and Water Consumption Reduction |
| 19 November 2010 |
|
A new Australian CSP plant
People who are not experts in the sector often do not remember that energy generation usually implies high water consumption. But if the sinister forecasts about climate change are to be confirmed, the amount of water consumed per kW/h of electric energy produced is likely to become a parameter of increasing interest in the choice of an electricity source. In the field of solar energy production, concentrating solar power (CSP) plants are becoming more and more popular because of their excellent performances, but their ideal location is in desert areas where water shortage is the rule of thumb. Great research efforts are therefore performed in order to reduce the water use for this technology as much as possible. The solar field where construction started this month in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, is likely to become the most efficient site worldwide, needing only air and sun to produce energy. This pilot plant, built by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and by Australian National University will be the largest of its kind and will consist of a field of 450 mirrors focusing the sun’s energy on a central tower. The novelty in this case, is that instead of heating water or molten salts, the sun rays will heat compressed air, which will be used to run the turbines and produce electric energy. The plant will be equipped with a heat storage system and with a methane gas burner in order to also function in bad weather conditions. Experience from this plant is therefore, expected to mark a new step towards a more efficient use of a limited resource, such as water, while contributing to the increase of renewable energy production." |
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