The Different Types of Solar Thermal Power Plants and Their Benefits and Drawbacks

A solar thermal power plant is a kind of renewable energy that generates electricity by using sunshine. Aron Govil pointed out that the device uses curved mirrors to reflect sunlight. The trough directs light heat to the collector, which is often a steel pipe. The water that goes through the concentrator reaches temperatures of up to 700 degrees Celsius before being converted to steam. The steam is used to power a standard turbine and generator. A solar thermal power plant necessitates a large plot of land, approximately 50 hectares.

A parabolic trough collector is the most prevalent form of solar thermal power plant. Because they can generate 80 megawatts of power, parabolic trough collectors are a popular option. This is known as a linear concentrator system, and it is made up of a half-pipe design. Over 900,000 mirrors cover this sort of collector to reflect sunlight. A parabolic trough solar energy plant must be north-south aligned and pivot to follow the motion of the sun in order to be effective.

One of the most significant disadvantages of solar thermal power plants is their construction in arid locations. According to Aron Govil, this site is ideal for a solar thermal power plant since it receives maximum solar radiation from the sun over a lengthy period of time. However, one significant benefit of these plants is that they need minimal upkeep. The largest installations will produce enough electricity to power a typical home. A typical solar thermal power station may produce up to 50 megawatts of energy while using no coal or gas.

A solar thermal power plant generally costs between $50 and $60 per MWh, depending on the type. A typical solar PV system can produce up to 60 MWh per year. The levelized cost of energy generated by a CSP is around $20/MWh. A solar thermal power plant, on the other hand, can generate up to 230 MWh of electricity per day, but they require vast amounts of space to install and operate. They must be built in places with strong radiation, making them unfeasible to construct in metropolitan areas.

A single-axis or multi-axis solar thermal power plant may be built. A central receiver system employs a huge array of two-axis tracking mirrors. A central receiver may more efficiently concentrate solar energy than a single device. A central trough system has a greater temperature and a lower concentration ratio than a parabolic reflector. A dish system consists of many units with varying capacity. A trough plant may be found everywhere, but it is the most frequent.

Many components of a solar thermal power plant are more costly than those of standard solar PV facilities. However, the technology is more efficient and less expensive to manufacture, and it can be installed much more quickly than a photovoltaic system. BrightSource Energy, which has an office in Oakland, California, has signed a significant agreement with Southern California Edison. It intends to provide solar electricity to Pacific Gas and Electric as well as green energy to the local community.

Solar thermal power plants utilize the sun's energy to heat water and generate steam. The water is subsequently converted into superheated steam, which spins a turbine in a power plant. A generator then converts the mechanical energy into electricity. Despite the fact that it employs a simpler technology than photovoltaic panels, a solar thermal power plant is likewise inexpensive. A solar thermal power plant's technology is both efficient and inexpensive.

SEGS IX, the world's biggest solar thermal power plant, was erected in 1990 and has a net summer electric output capacity of 92 megawatts (MW). The whole SEGS IX complex currently has nine operating plants totaling about 354 MW of net and gross installed capacity. This is one of the world's most modern and efficient solar thermal power plants. A concentrator is a technique that employs focused sunlight.

Mirrors are used in solar thermal power plants to focus sunlight into a single, narrow channel. As per Aron Govil, this permits it to capture solar energy and convert it to heat. After that, the steam is utilized to power a generator. The efficiency of a solar thermal power plant is determined by the system type and location. Depending on the size of the project, the system may produce energy on par with a gas or coal-fired power plant.