Solar Thermal Power: Not Forgotten
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts 
on 06. 3.07
More energy from the sun hits the Earth in one hour than all of the energy consumed by humans in an entire year. According to the Department of Energy, in 2001 the world consumed at an average rate of more than 13 trillion watts ( 13 terawatts, TW), just a fraction of the 120,000 TW of energy available that falls to Earth- free. Life on Earth long ago realized that the sun was the best way to get free energy, just look around at all that green stuff growing outside. Today, solar energy accounts for only 0.1% of our energy portfolio. We will likely look back at the use of fossil fuels as an obvious misstep in technology development. A small blip on the radar of human technology, like a toddler testing the boundaries of what is possible. The Oil Drum's featured guest writer Gerry Wolff, coordinator of TREC-UK, describes a bold plan called DESERTEC that is centered around solar thermal.
As the story goes... in 212 BC, Archimedes used a solar thermal concentrator (made up of shiny shields) to focus the suns energy on any Roman ship that dared to sail close to the Syracuse shore. Later tests have confirmed you can set a boat on fire, and I'm sure make the sailors quite uncomfortable in the process.
Today solar thermal concentration is the same idea as burning those Roman ships. Except instead of wooden boats todays concentrators are focused on steam, or sterling engines. Some models have conversion efficiencies above 40%. With such simple construction, and high efficiency, solar thermal is already cheaper than the global price of oil - and prices for solar thermal, are expected to drop dramatically. This, I believe is one of those 'gold rush' moments for clean energy. As befitting a gold rush, some people are dreaming big. Gerry Wolff describes :
"An important part of the DESERTEC concept is the creation of a large-scale HVDC transmission grid, spanning the whole of EUMENA, and designed to work in conjunction with existing HVAC grids. This proposal chimes well with an independent proposal by Airtricity to create a Europe-wide HVDC grid"
While it is true that distributed systems make sense, this writer worries about transmission efficiencies. Wouldn't it make more sense for local grids to be connected, share various power resources, and have high efficiency storage systems? Regardless, I think it is valuable to see where solar thermal can play a more serious role in our energy mix. The majority of life on Earth is already solar powered- why aren't we?
::The Oil Drum
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this positive, upbeat view is just what our society is in need of.
oh so nice to have such a lifting of spirits in so oil-desperate a world.
humanity out of harmony with the rest of nature needs just such new suggestion - please keep this groove goin!! ~ dust
on a down beat, the power tower called 'solar two' in the picture was decommissioned in 1999 and is now used as a telescope of weird sorts.
so effectively tim, youve written a story about solar with a picture of a telescope ;-)
More energy from the sun hits the Earth in one hour than all of the energy consumed by humans in an entire year.
An hour and 21 minutes, but who's counting? ;)
I cant believe this report has concentrated on developemnets in America and completely ignored what is happening in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.
The Solel power plant in Spain has been featured in Trehugger already
In the BBC report it has already been proposed that a grid link with similar power plants in North Africa if they were built is quite feasible
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616651.stm
check out this link on the subject.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthScience/Device_turns_heat_into_sound_then_electricity/a
on a down note, the power tower called 'solar two' in the picture was decommissioned in 1999 and is now used as a wierd telescope.
While we are waiting for the high tech solutions to kick in, why not start fighting coal-powered energy emissions immediately with the simpliest and oldest solar application on the planet--sun or air drying your clothes.
An average household does about 10 loads per week. If it sun- or air-dried just one load per week, at 2 KWH/load ,an average household could save 104KWH/yr. Aiding this is the fact that many of our clothes made of synthetics dry 10 times faster than cotton. Also, the less dryers are used, the fewer dryers need to be produced--big raw materials and energy savings.
The oil crisis of the early 80's was solved by the populace finding many small ways to cut energy consumption. We can still make major strides today by providing individuals with personal ways to reduce consumption.
Solar Hot Water systems have a 4 year payback with efficiency levels at 80-100% of the domestic hot water usage for a property. With the 30% federal tax incentive, getting a system is ridiculously affordable.
There's a company that installs residential and commercial systems in the Northeast US. They're called Solar USA, outside of Long Island City, ny. www.getsolarusa.com
Solar Hot Water systems have a 4 year payback with efficiency levels at 80-100% of the domestic hot water usage for a property. With the 30% federal tax incentive, getting a system is ridiculously affordable.
There's a company that installs residential and commercial systems in the Northeast US. They're called Solar USA, outside of Long Island City, ny. www.getsolarusa.com
There are a lot of plans made to make things easier, convenient, economic, however, some just don't get to start going and it seems something is stopping them. If we discover something which is very helpful to a lot of people we must learn to fight for it.
Recently in Oregon, an ornamental fishbowl filled with water concentrated the sun's rays to such an extent that some building siding caught fire, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Expect George Will to start talking about the Menace of Solar Energy.