OBSTACLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIG SOLAR

A tough road ahead for concentrated solar power

Sammy Roth, October 25, 2014 (The Desert Sun)

“…Unlike traditional solar photovoltaic panels — which convert sunlight directly into electricity — concentrated solar technology uses sunlight to heat water or another liquid, ultimately creating steam that can be used to turn turbines and generate electricity…Concentrated solar power is much more expensive than solar panels and wind turbines, but advocates say it has a major advantage over those technologies, particularly in California: the ability to store energy. As the state races to adopt renewable energy, one of its biggest challenges will be intermittency — the fact that most solar and wind plants only produce power when the sun is shining, or when the wind is blowing…Concentrated solar with storage could fill the gaps in intermittent renewable generation, limiting the need for carbon-emitting natural gas plants. But despite concentrated solar power's benefits, it has been hobbled by financial and environmental challenges…

“Concentrated solar plants cost much more to build than solar photovoltaic plants, and environmental groups have criticized ‘power tower’ projects…for their potential to kill thousands of birds [if not carefully sited]. Concentrated solar plants can also use hundreds of times more water than solar photovoltaic plants...[But some environmental groups…see a future for concentrated solar — if the wildlife impacts can be reduced…[C]oncentrated solar development has intensified over the past year, with five large-scale projects expected to open by January…Among those projects is Crescent Dunes…[It] will be the country's first solar tower development to feature storage, with a capacity of 110 megawatts and the ability to store more than 10 hours of energy…” click here for more

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