A new and revolutionary solar power project has been recently approved by the state of California. SolarReserve is the company behind the Rice Solar Energy Project, which will store heat from thermal collectors in molten salt beneath the surface.
Molten salts have been tinkered with for a while, because they can store heat at over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The advantage is that, during the night, the system continues to provide electricity… from the Sun.
Hundreds of mirrored heliostats covering an area of two square miles are focused on a tower that collects thermal energy, melts a salt reserve, and transfers it to the tank below, from where it is released when needed. This is actually the innovation that SolarReserve brings to the technology.
The company already has a 25-years contract with PG&E. For the price involved in building and operating it is very much reduced, the produced energy will be cheaper than coal or gas, making this kind of thermal solar project an example for others. A similar experiment has been built in Italy, and it’s called Archimede.
A substance called fulvalene diruthenium has also been studied as a cheaper replacement for molten salts, and may probably constitute an idea to others who will have the resources to build such projects.
[via inhabitat]
Thanks for such a detailed information on the advantages of solar energy. I would also like to add that while choosing a solar panel for your home it is very essential that you select it keeping in mind the energy requirement of your home. Recently i searched on the internet and found that there are plenty of varieties of solar panels available in various sizes and these can also be easily customized based on our home specific needs.
Sounds really good. But I want to see this project finished and the energy produced replacing the non-renewable one.
solar energy is renewable and it is free. It does not produce pollution. There are also many government programs that help households get solar panels. The solar panels are eco-friendly and they are very easy to use. Also, the solar panels do not take much space. Plus, not to mention the fact the panels are noiseless.
Renewable energy is critical to our fight against climate change. We simply must shift our world to a low-carbon economy and away from oil and coal. Experts agree we need a substantial reduction in CO2 over the next 40-50 years and this means we need renewable energy to replace fossil fuels now. The production and use of renewable fuels has grown more quickly in recent years as a result of higher prices for oil and natural gas.