Energía Solar Térmica de AltaTemperatura. Agencia Andaluza de la Energía

Energy Generation through Concentrated Solar Power

The transcript discusses high-temperature solar energy, specifically concentrated solar power technologies and their applications in electricity generation.

Types of Concentrated Solar Power Technologies

• Three main types of concentrated solar power technologies exist:

• Central receiver systems with heliostats directing sunlight to a tower.

• Parabolic trough systems with rows of parabolic collectors.

• Dish/engine systems using parabolic dishes to concentrate sunlight onto receivers.

Components of a Concentrated Solar Power Plant

• Basic components include:

• Concentrator (linear or point focus).

• Receiver (tube, boiler, or Stirling engine).

• Thermal storage system.

• Electricity generator (turbine or Stirling engine).

Functionality and Applications

• Each technology has specific functionalities:

• Parabolic troughs use cylindrical parabolic mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto receivers.

• Central receiver systems employ heliostats to direct sunlight towards a central tower.

Energy Transformation Process

• The transformation process involves:

• Converting thermal energy into electricity using turbines or Stirling engines.

• Utilizing thermal storage for continuous electricity generation during low direct radiation periods.

Current and Future Applications

• Current applications focus on electricity generation, while future developments may include:

• Solar cooling.

• Hydrogen production.

• Pollution control.