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A single salt cavern or gas well can provide enough air storage for 1 GW
or more of SolarCAT power. Thousands of GW of air storage capacity for
SolarCAT can be developed in geological formations that are already known.
These opportunities are now being studied by utilities for large scale projects
in California, Iowa, Ohio, and other states.
The
SolarCAT
Plant
Schematic
This diagram
illustrates how the air
compressors store the potential energy of compressed air underground. The
stored air then flows to the receiver where it is heated by the dish, driving the
turbo-alternators.
The Power Stored chart shows three sources of power that can be used to
drive compressors. The black line shows that utility power could be used when
demand is low, from 0-to-6 and 18-to-24 hours (night-time). The red line shows
typical wind production, highest from 0-to-4 and 20-to-24 hours. The light blue
line is the photovoltaic (PV) production curve, an option in the future when PV
prices lower.
The Power Delivered chart shows that SolarCAT would deliver firm power
between 6 and 18 hours, primarily with sunlight. The blue line shows the use of
gas, oil, or bio-fuel when there is no sunlight available. Even when fuel is used,
it is in combination with the stored compressed air. The result is still a very high
fuel efficiency, which can realize substantial fuel savings.
Existing CSP
systems such as solar
trough are currently
costing about $4 billion
per GW, even though the technology has existed for decades. Power
Tower systems have yet to be commercially successful, despite decades
of research and demonstration projects.
CSP Comparisons
Trough/CLFR SolarCAT w/Air
Dish Stirling Power Tower CPV
with Steam Storage
Abengoa,
BrightSou rce, Amonix,
C ompanies Accion a, Ausra, SES, Infinia eSolar SolFocus SolarCAT
SkyFuels
Water cooling, or co olant/ Water cooling, or exh au st air at
C ooling air co oled
coolant/radiators radiators coolant/radiators 120 F
thermal oil, salt, thermal oil, salt,
Working fluid s hydrogen none air
water, steam water, steam
compressed air
En ergy thermal mass thermal mass
Storage (oil, salt, or water)
none (oil, salt, or water)
none storage of off-
p eak electricity
Minimum Unit 60 MW 25 kW 33 MW 1 kW 2 00 kW
Acres/MW 5 5 5 5-10 1.6
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