Science
Related: About this forumSolar Breakthrough from Oz Land:
Last edited Tue Jun 10, 2014, 03:32 PM - Edit history (1)
News
World first: Australian solar plant has generated supercritical steam that rivals fossil fuels
ScienceAlert Staff
Thursday, 05 June 2014
Share on email Share on print
A CSIRO test plant in Australia has broken a world record and proved solar power could efficiently replace fossil fuels.
A solar thermal test plant in Newcastle, Australia, has generated supercritical steam at a pressure of 23.5 mpa (3400 psi) and 570°C (1,058°F). CSIRO is claiming it as a world record, and its a HUGE step for solar thermal energy.
"It's like breaking the sound barrier; this step change proves solar has the potential to compete with the peak performance capabilities of fossil fuel sources," Dr Alex Wonhas, CSIROs Energy Director, told Colin Jeffrey for Gizmag. The Energy Centre uses a field of more than 600 mirrors (known as heliostats) which are all directed at two towers housing solar receivers and turbines, Gizmag reports.
This supercritical steam is used to drive the worlds most advanced power plant turbines, but previously its only been possible to produce it by burning fossil fuels such as coal or gas.
"Instead of relying on burning fossil fuels to produce supercritical steam, this breakthrough demonstrates that the power plants of the future could instead be using the free, zero emission energy of the sun to achieve the same result, Dr Wonhas explained.
####
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20140506-25618.html
Decent graphics at above link, as well as a video and a bit more text.
Sancho
(9,065 posts)corkhead
(6,119 posts)truedelphi
(32,324 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Fossil fuels are solar energy too. Ancient sedimentary solar energy in the form of fossil fuel. So all our energy comes from the sun any way we look at it. Even wind energy is solar powered. I guess tidal energy and nuclear would be exceptions.