Comments on: Halotechnics – Molten Glass Thermal Storage Could Mean 6 Cent Solar

By: Gary Tulie

Gary Tulie — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:24:00 +0000

One concern if using such high temperatures to run an air turbine is the generation of NOx. which is a powerful greenhouse gas and a serious pollutant able to damage plants through acid rain. A good catalytic converter or other system to remove NOx would be essential at this temperature.

By: Gary Tulie

Gary Tulie — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:20:00 +0000

The glass is capable of of storing heat at up to 1200 centigrade, not 1200 Fahrenheit. This is nearly 2200 Fahrenheit and not nearly so easy to manage.

By: Gary Tulie

Gary Tulie — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:17:00 +0000

This would be the case if you were using electricity to generate the heat, however in this case, you are generating the heat anyway and the thermal storage only defers converting it to electricity. The efficiency penalty of storage is therefore much lower.

By: jim

jim — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 00:29:00 +0000

Uhh, the round-trip efficiency of thermal storage would be around 30% best case with current thermoelectric conversion technologies (steam turbines). Even though they’re much more expensive on a capacity basis, batteries, with more like 70%+ round trip efficiency (you get back 0.7kWh for every 1kWh you put in), are making entry into the rate-arbitrage markets you mention now.

By: Cheikhalifa

Cheikhalifa — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 11:22:00 +0000

Desalt seawater can also reduce a cost and inhance the yeld of CSP, because in MENA area the fresh water is as necessary as electric power!

By: Cheikhalifa

Cheikhalifa — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 11:21:00 +0000

Deasalt seawater can also reduce a cost and inhance the yeld of CSP, because in MENA area the fresh water is as necessary as electric power!

By: Donald Cochran

Donald Cochran — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:01:00 +0000

I would like to add a further comment about the hot glass concept: because I have been working on my own project of an All Alternate Energy Fuels Engine since my son went to and returned from Iraq, I have been dealing with the issues of 1200 to 1600 degrees F containment. It is not fun, not even NASA can provide lubricants at those temperatures. So my reply to 1200 degrees being not a problem is true. I can put together a unit that will deal well with the hot glass if temperature is the only issue. Who do I contact? Contact me:
Don Cochran
Learium Development Technologies
cochrandonald@hotmail.com

By: Donald Cochran

Donald Cochran — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:55:00 +0000

If 1200 F is the only problem you have the whole thing is a slam dunk, let the light shine in.

By: Sunwyn Ravenwood

Sunwyn Ravenwood — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Awesome…I hope this succeeds. Good Luck!

By: Ronald Brak

Ronald Brak — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:13:00 +0000

In a grid where the price of electricity frequently drops towards zero, say a grid with lots of wind and/or solar capacity, thermal storage could be used with electrical resistance heating instead of concentrating solar or other methods. Such a facility would have the advantage of potentially being quite small. If such a facility was built where I am now it could take advantage of low early morning and weekend electricity prices that often result from our wind power capacity and sell it during the daytime peak or evening peak.

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:55:00 +0000

Yes, it is a big part of the first of the Desertec solar projects because of its great suitability to desert solar

By: Dihydrogen_Monoxide

Dihydrogen_Monoxide — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Not to mention that CSP can provide “base-load” power. Eliminating one of the objections to using renewable energy.

By: Neil Blanchard

Neil Blanchard — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:37:00 +0000

Solar heat is often overlooked, but we need to do this. The materials challenge with solar PV is toxicity and whether you can recycle it. Solar heat requires more constant sun, but some places like Nevada or the deserts of the world can be used for this more efficient form of solar power.

Neil