Concentrating Solar Power Plants In The USA

Intro;

Concentrating Solar Power Plants In The USA What Are Concentrating Solar Power Plants? A Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant generates electricity using the power of the sun, which it collects using mirrors called heliostats that focus sunlight onto a solar receiver at the top of a tower, which in turn heats up water to produce steam and drive an electric turbine. Once built, such plants have no fuel costs and thus require little maintenance. They’re also virtually silent, emitting no pollution or greenhouse gases during operation, nor any waste after their 25-year life span has ended.

What is a concentrating solar power plant?

A concentrating solar power plant is a type of solar thermal electric generating system that uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto an absorber tube to produce heat. The heat is used to create steam, which turns turbines that generate electricity. A concentrating solar power plant can make use of renewable energy sources such as biomass, geothermal or wind turbines; however, it can also be used to provide process heat for commercial and industrial applications. A concentrating solar power plant works by using mirrors (heliostats) to concentrate light from the sun on receivers. These devices use photovoltaic cells or parabolic troughs to convert the concentrated light into heat, which drives a boiler that produces high-pressure hot water or steam.
The receivers are mounted on what’s called heliostats – large mirrored structures that move so they can track the sun throughout the day.

How do they work?

Concentrating Solar Power Plants use a large field of mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a small area. The concentrated sunlight is converted into heat, which creates steam that drives a turbine and generates electricity.
The mirrors are computer-controlled to follow the sun throughout the day so they can continually focus sunlight on one spot. In order for this technology to work, there needs to be enough space for both the mirrors and their support structures. A typical site might have 10 acres per megawatt of installed capacity; this translates into 4 hectares (10 acres) for every 10 MW of capacity.

What are the benefits?

Concentrating Solar Power Plants have a lot of benefits that make them worth the investment. First, the cost of production is low, especially if you compare it to other renewable energy sources. They are also very efficient and can produce a significant amount of energy from small areas. This means they can be used in many different locations and still produce an efficient amount of power, unlike wind turbines and water-based hydroelectric dams which need large amounts of space to operate. Finally, these plants do not require any fuel so they are very environmentally friendly and won’t contribute to pollution or global warming like fossil fuel sources will.
If you are looking for an alternative energy source for your area that is both renewable and efficient then Concentrating Solar Power Plants may be just what you’re looking for! The US has several concentrating solar power plants including: 1) Abengoa Mojave Plant 2) Desert Sunlight Plant 3) Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System 4) SEGS I, II and III

Are they worth it?

There are many benefits that come with a concentrating solar power plant, such as being able to store energy so it’s not reliant on a grid. Plus, they can be built in areas where there is no grid and still provide electricity. However, concentrating solar plants are expensive to build and maintain. And while they can provide clean energy, most of them don’t produce enough electricity for an entire city. In addition to that, these facilities have been known to kill birds and other wildlife when they reflect their concentrated beams into the sky. That’s why some people believe concentrating solar power plants should only be used for specific purposes – like providing electricity for remote locations or military bases.

Conclusion

Converting sunlight into electricity is a process that has been used for decades. But, in recent years, it’s been a more efficient and cost-effective option. Concentrating Solar Power Plants (CSP) are becoming increasingly popular across the US, especially because they can work with both thermal and photovoltaic technologies to produce energy. And, with these types of plants coming online now and already being built, it’s estimated that this will account for about half of all new renewable electric capacity additions by 2020