The U.S. Department of Energy announced on the 15th that it will invest 72 million U.S. dollars in the development of a new generation of high-temperature concentrating solar power systems.
Concentrating solar power is another technique that converts solar energy into electrical energy outside of photovoltaic technology. The technology uses a reflector to focus sunlight and convert it into heat, which drives the turbine to run. Because solar energy can be stored, it needs When it is converted into electricity, the technology can guarantee the continuous supply of electricity at night or on rainy days. The United States is one of the countries with better application of concentrating solar power technology in the world. The Department of Energy announced in September last year that it invested US$62 million. Concentrated solar power technology research and development efforts.
The operating temperature of the thermal energy system is a key factor in controlling the cost of concentrating solar power generation. At present, the operating temperature of the best commercial concentrating solar power generation technology thermal system in the United States reaches a maximum of 565° C. The third generation of high-temperature polymerization launched by the US Department of Energy The Photovoltaic Solar Power Project (Gen3 CSP) aims to push the operating temperature of the thermal energy system to above 700°C, which will effectively increase the efficiency of power generation and reduce the cost of generating electricity. The Ministry of Energy stated that if the project is successful, it will enable the concentrating solar power plant. The cost of generating electricity per kWh is reduced by approximately 2 cents, which is equivalent to 40% of the 2030 target cost (5 cents per kWh) set by the Department of Energy for US concentrating solar power plants.
Currently, the Department of Energy has selected three research units from Bretton Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories to participate in the project. They will compete around the integrated design of high-temperature components and high-temperature thermal energy storage systems. .
Daniel Simmons, the deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Energy, stated that the United States is a world leader in high-temperature concentrating solar power research. The new project will help promote the development of new technologies for high-temperature concentrating solar power generation and maintain the United States in this area. leadership.
