Concentrating Solar Power

- Status and Perspectives

German Renewable Energy Day, Oct. 15, 2008

Solar Power 2008, San Diego, CA

Christoph Richter (with contributions from K. Hennecke, M. Eck, F. Trieb, R. Pitz-Paal)

German Aerospace Center (DLR) - Executive Secretary SolarPACES

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 Conventional Thermal
Principle of a Concentrating Power Power
Solar Thermal Plant Plant

Concentrating Thermal • concentrated,

Solar Collector Energy storable solar thermal
Field Storage energy as fuel saver

Solar
Heat Fuel Electricity • firm capacity,
power on demand via
storage or hybrid operation
Power Cycle
Process Heat • additional process heat for
cooling, drying, seawater
desalination, etc.

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Concentrating solar technologies: basic layout schemes
Curved
Absorber Absorber tube and mirror
Tube
reconcentrator

Curved mirror
Pipe with
thermal fluid

Linear Concentration
C: 100, T: ~ 500° C Parabolic Trough Linear Fresnel

Receiver / Engine Solar

Receiver
Reflector

Point Concentration
C: 1000+, T: ~ 1000° C

Heliostats

Dish/Engine Central Receiver

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 US Main Solar Resources Overview

Solar
Solar Generation
Land Area Capacity Capacity
State (mi2) (MW) GWh
AZ 13,613 1,742,461 4,121,268
CA 6,278 803,647 1,900,786
CO 6,232 797,758 1,886,858
NV 11,090 1,419,480 3,357,355
NM 20,356 2,605,585 6,162,729
TX 6,374 815,880 1,929,719
UT 23,288 2,980,823 7,050,242
Total 87,232 11,165,633 26,408,956
The table and map represent land that has no primary use today, exclude
land with slope > 1%, and do not count sensitive lands.
Solar Energy Resource >6.0 kwh/m2/d
Capacity assumes 5 acres/MW
Generation assumes 27% annual capacity factor

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 The SEGS Experience in California

Solar Efficiencies Measured at SEGS VI

on July 1997 byAerial View ofCompany
KJC Operating SEGS Plants

Direct Normal Radiatiom [W/m²]

70% 100
1200

60% Direct Normal Radiation

99
1000
50%
Efficiency [%]

Availability - %
Thermal Solar 98
800
-
40% Field Efficiency

600 97
30%

20% 400 96

10% Solar to Electric

200
Efficiency (gross) 95
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

0%
0 III IV V VI VII
05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00

High solar efficiency High availability

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 Current projects, US: Nevada Solar One, 64 MW

64 MW Parabolic Trough Plant, Nevada, Startup 6/2007

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Projects in Spain: Plant layout Andasol

Campo Solar
Sobrecalentador Turbina de vapor

Caldera
(Opcional)

Combustibe
Condensador

Generador
de vapor

Precalentador
solar Precalentador
de presión baja

Recalentador
solar

Tanque de
expansión

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 Andasol 50 MW plant, power block and thermal
storage tanks

2 tanks:
Ø = 36 m
h = 14 m

28.500 tm
molten salt

7,5 h storage
a 50 MW

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Concentrating Solar Power
Status of commercial technology
Parabolic Trough
HTF: Thermal Oil
Mature and commercially proven technology
Competing products with similar dimensions
Plant sizes: 14 – 80 MWe
Power Tower
Water/steam: First commercial systems (10/20 MWe)
Molten salt: Commercial system under development (17 MWe)
Air: Pre-commercial pilot plant under construction (1,5 MWe)
Linear Fresnel
Prototype systems with significant industrial engagement
Dish Systems: new product developments, large projects announced

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R&D for next steps: Solar Thermal Power Test Facilities
Worldwide

PSA (E) PSI (CH)

Solar One (US)

CRTF Sandia (US)

CNRS (F)

ΩΙΣ
WIS(ΙΛ)
(IL) ANU (AUS)

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 International RD&D collaboration: IEA SolarPACES IA

SolarPACES
is a worldwide coalition of 12 member
EUROPEAN
countries collaborating
FRAN
and
GERMA sharing
COMMISSION
CE NY
SWITZERLAND
information on technology
USA SPAI
N
development
ISRAEL
ALGERIA COREA
MEXICO
and applications of concentrated solar
EGYPT

energy
Interested: Greece,
Austria, Italy, UAE,
Namibia, Portugal SOUTH AFRICA AUSTRALI
A

COREA EU ISRAELMEXICOSOUTH SPAIN SWITZE UNITED

ALGERIAUSTRALI EGYPT FRANC GERMA AFRICA R-LAND STATES
A A E NY
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Parabolic Troughs – New Transfer fluids:
Example: Direct Steam Generation, DISS Test Facility

• T = 400°C

• p = 100 bar

• l = 500 m (700 m)

• Pth ≈ 1,5 MW

• all operation modes are

realizable
• more than 8000 operation
hours

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Parabolic Troughs – DSG
Achievements

▪ potential of cost reduction determined to

be 11-15% (compared to HTF)

▪ feasibility proven at life size test-facility

▪ development of absorber tubes for

T = 500°C

▪ detailed engineering of first demonstration

plant finished

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Solar Towers
Increase power block efficiency

▪ Power block already fully developed

▪ Increase operation temperature
▪ Use appropriate working fluid
▪ air
▪ water/steam
▪ molten salt
▪ sodium
▪ …
G
▪ Change power cycle

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Solar Towers: Molten salt receiver
800 [°C]
Receiver heat transfer fluid:
Molten nitrate salt 700
Maximum live steam parameter:
535°C 600
100 bar

565°C
Backup Options:
500
Thermal storage is an integral part
of the concept
400 565 o C
Hot Salt Cold Salt 290 o C
Storage Tank Storage Tank

Technology Status
300
10 MWe System demonstration at
Solar 2 (USA) Steam Generator

Operated from1996 to 1999 200 Conventional

17 MWe Solar Tres under EPGS
development in Spain
100

0
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Solar Tower: Atmospheric air receiver
800 [°C]
Receiver heat transfer fluid:

750°C
Air (1 bar) 700
Maximum live steam parameter:
565°C 600
110 bar

Backup Options:
500
Thermal storage filled with
ceramics
Duct burner
400

Technology Status
3 MWth air loop demonstration at
300
Plataforma Solar de Almeria
1,5 MWe pilot power plant under 200
construction at Jülich, Germany

100

0
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Solar Towers
Solar-hybrid gas turbine systems (SGT)

CC Rankine
Rankine
쥠 = 25 % 쥠쥠==16
16%%
(annual) (annual)
(annual)

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Parabolic Troughs & Solar Towers
Summary
1200

1000
Temperature [°C]

800

600

400

200

0
PS-10 Trough Trough Tower Tower Tower
(HTF) (DSG) (Salt) (Na/Sn) (Air/CC)

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R&D tasks

▪ R&D concentrates on cost reduction of CSP systems

▪ One promising option is to increase operation temperature

▪ For trough systems 500°C are realistic in the mid term

▪ For solar towers 1000°C have been demonstrated

▪ SGT system has highest solar to electricity efficiency

▪ A standard technology is not likely for the future

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Performance Measurement (DLR)
Mirror Shape
Contour accuracy of concentrator
Photogrammetry
Deflectometry
Field tests (flux around

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Thermal Energy Storage Activities at DLR
Solid/liquid TES from 100 to 1000 °C

Various sensible TES concepts

directed towards process heat and power generation
• oil / concrete
• molten salt
• air / solids–packed bed/fluidized bed

Salt
pump

Salt storage
tank

Distribution
Immersion
ring header
heater (4)

Foundation

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 Roadmap for CSP Plants
(installed Power)
Potential of CSP in Europe:
installed capacity and annual energy production

70 Spain 200
Portugal 60 GW / 170 TWh 175
60 Italy
Greece 150
50 Cyprus+Malta
GW installed

125

TWh/a
40
30 GW / 85 TWh 100
30
75
20
50
10 25
4 GW / 11 TWh
0 0
2012 2020 2030
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Future CSP Potential through HVDC-Supergrids enormous

Wind Power

Geothermal

Hydropower

Biomass

Solar Power

Conventional

HVDC: High Voltage Direct Current Transmission

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 German Know-How for the CSP markets
Sector Company/Institute Name (Webpage)

R&D DLR (www.dlr.de)

Solar Institut Jülich (www.fh-aachen.de/solar-institut.html)
FhG-ISE (www.ise.fraunhofer.de)
Engineering Schlaich Bergermann Partner (www.sbp.de)
Fichtner Solar (www.fichtner.de)
Services CSP Services (www.cspservices.de)
Components Schott Solar (www.schott.com)
Senior Berghöfer (www.senior-berghöfer.de)
Züblin (www.zueblin.de)

Plants Solar Millennium (www.solarmillennium.de)

Man Ferrostaal / Man Solar Millennium (www.manferrostaal.com)
Solar Power Group (www.spg-gmbh.com)
Novatec-Biosol (www.novatec-biosol.de)
Kraftanlagen München (www.ka-muenchen.de)

More Info: www.renewables-made-in-germany.com

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Thank you for your attention!

Questions?
Christoph.richter@dlr.de
Attend SolarPACES conference
15-18 September 2009, Berlin, Germany

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