What is Concentrated Solar Power?
Concentrated Solar Power plants produce electric power by converting the sun’s energy into high-temperature heat using various mirror configurations. The heat is then channeled through a conventional generator. The plants consist of two parts: one that collects solar energy and converts it to heat, and another that converts heat energy to electricity. Concentrated Solar Power systems can be sized for village power (10 kilowatts) or grid-connected applications (up to 100 megawatts). Some systems use thermal storage during cloudy periods or at night. Others can be combined with natural gas and the resulting hybrid power plants provide high-value, dispatchable power. These attributes, along with world record solar-to-electric conversion efficiencies, make concentrating solar power an attractive renewable energy option in the Southwest and other sunbelt regions worldwide.Why Concentrated Solar Power is one of the Few “Superior” Renewable Energy Technologies Concentrated Solar Power plants
Concentrated solar power, also called solar thermal, is a means of gathering solar energy distinct from the use of photovoltaic (PV) panels. Instead of directly converting solar energy to electricity, as in PV panels, concentrated solar power concentrates sunlight onto a relatively small point, which heats a medium. The heat from the medium is then either transferred directly to the target to be heated, such as a swimming pool, or connected to a generator for producing electric power. Unlike commercial PV panels, which have an efficiency of about 17-19%, concentrated solar power efficiency ranges from 40-60%. There are three types of concentrated solar power devices — low temperature devices (used to heat pools), medium-temperature devices (used to heat water for commercial or residential use), and high-temperature devices (used to generate electricity). Concentrated solar power is cheaper than solar panels, as it primarily consists of mirrors to concentrate the sun’s rays, rather tha
“CSP” stands for “Concentrated Solar Power.” The term refers to the type of solar power which is created by concentrating sunlight onto a small area, thus creating an intense light and heat which can in turn generate power and electricity. Concentrated Solar Power is one of several technologies which have been developed in order to harness the energy emitted by the sun and turn it into useable electricity. The main difference between concentrated solar power (CSP) energy systems and other solar power systems (such as photovoltaics and solar heating), is that concentrated solar power uses mirrors and reflectors in order to focus concentrated sunlight on a specific location. – How CSP Solar Energy Systems Work A simple but accurate comparison to CSP solar energy is the use of a magnifying lens to focus sunlight on a specific area. But the target of a CSP system is to heat fluids, not ants or other luckless insects. The fluids heated by this concentrated solar energy are then turned into
