Publications Details
Solar thermal repowering
Solar central receiver technology is developing steadily with a promise of becoming a real commercial alternative for energy generation in the late 1980s. Significant potential markets have been identified, research and development of important components is proceeding well, and the first full-system verification experiment at Barstow, California, is under construction. However, much work still lies ahead. A big step toward the realization of large-scale commercial use of solar energy was taken when the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a solicitation in March 1979 for utility repowering/industrial retrofit system conceptual design studies employing solar central receivers. Twenty-two responses were evaluated, and twelve were selected for funding. The results of the twelve studies, plus one study completed earlier and one privately funded, are sufficiently encouraging to warrant proceeding to the next stage of the program: cost-shared projects chosen through open competition. Eight of he fourteen studies are for electric utility repowering of existing oil or natural gas generating plants. The other six are the first site-specific studies of the use of solar central receiver systems for industrial process heat. The industrial processes include gypsum board drying, oil refining, enhanced oil recovery, uranium ore processing, natural gas processing, and ammonia production. Site descriptions, project summaries, conceptual designs, and functional descriptions are given for each of these 14 studies.