ABSTRACT of the CHAPTER "SOLAR PHOTOTHERMAL SOURCES" by Marco Bianucci: This is the Abstract of the chapter "SOLAR PHOTOTHERMAL SOURCES", of which the author is Marco Bianucci: With solar thermal energy we must distinguish between low temperature energy, in which the thermal energy generated by incidental light is used directly, and medium-high (concentrated) energy in which the thermal energy is converted into electricity by turbines, as in a conventional thermoelectric power plant. In 2006, in the context of low temperature solar power, used mainly for the production of sanitary water and underfloor heating, Italy came fifth in Europe in terms of volume sales and in 2007 there was a 55% growth in installations, up to 200 MWh for a surface area of 286,000 m2, thus passing the million mark for m2 installed overall, corresponding to about 700 GWh/year of thermal energy produced. The technology is long established but there are interesting margins for improvement, especially in cost reductions: there is work to be done on collector performance, plumbing and, above all, on the reduction of installation costs. Cooling buildings using solar energy is a promising area that requires research and development to become competitive and mature. Developments in the thermal solar market in Italy, influenced by European regulations, lead us to forecast two possible scenarios, with a total installed by 2020 of 12 GWh (17 million m2, the same level per head that Austria has today) or of 40 GWh (57 million m2 = 40 TWh/year; 1 m2 installed per capita), respectively. The technologies for concentrating solar power (CSP) use the direct radiation from the Sun and as such are destined to be installed above all in the sunniest regions. After a lull, CSP is now developing fast in several countries, particularly in Spain, the USA and China. The current cost per kWh is about double that from fossil fuels, but the Global Environment Facility forecasts a reduction in cost to about 0.04 EUR/kWh by 2025, reaching parity with fossil fuels. Many other sources forecast lower costs, down to 0.025 EUR/kWh. In solar thermoelectric plants the most innovative aspects are linked to the systems for harvesting and raising the temperature of solar heat and the storage system for times when there is no sunshine. Moreover the use of molten salt, as in Italy's Archimede project, still requires some research and development for the components that are attacked by that salt. Currently the power of the CSP plants already planned in the world in the short term amounts to about 1,700 MW. Of these 300 MW are considered very probably achievable. In the medium term the development programmes recently launched in the USA and China, which amount to several thousand MW, should be kept in mind. For Italy one could aim at reaching a maximum of 300 MW (0.5 TWh/year) installed by 2020.
SORGENTI FOTOTERMICHE / SOLAR PHOTOTHERMAL SOURCES
Marco Bianucci;
2009
Abstract
ABSTRACT of the CHAPTER "SOLAR PHOTOTHERMAL SOURCES" by Marco Bianucci: This is the Abstract of the chapter "SOLAR PHOTOTHERMAL SOURCES", of which the author is Marco Bianucci: With solar thermal energy we must distinguish between low temperature energy, in which the thermal energy generated by incidental light is used directly, and medium-high (concentrated) energy in which the thermal energy is converted into electricity by turbines, as in a conventional thermoelectric power plant. In 2006, in the context of low temperature solar power, used mainly for the production of sanitary water and underfloor heating, Italy came fifth in Europe in terms of volume sales and in 2007 there was a 55% growth in installations, up to 200 MWh for a surface area of 286,000 m2, thus passing the million mark for m2 installed overall, corresponding to about 700 GWh/year of thermal energy produced. The technology is long established but there are interesting margins for improvement, especially in cost reductions: there is work to be done on collector performance, plumbing and, above all, on the reduction of installation costs. Cooling buildings using solar energy is a promising area that requires research and development to become competitive and mature. Developments in the thermal solar market in Italy, influenced by European regulations, lead us to forecast two possible scenarios, with a total installed by 2020 of 12 GWh (17 million m2, the same level per head that Austria has today) or of 40 GWh (57 million m2 = 40 TWh/year; 1 m2 installed per capita), respectively. The technologies for concentrating solar power (CSP) use the direct radiation from the Sun and as such are destined to be installed above all in the sunniest regions. After a lull, CSP is now developing fast in several countries, particularly in Spain, the USA and China. The current cost per kWh is about double that from fossil fuels, but the Global Environment Facility forecasts a reduction in cost to about 0.04 EUR/kWh by 2025, reaching parity with fossil fuels. Many other sources forecast lower costs, down to 0.025 EUR/kWh. In solar thermoelectric plants the most innovative aspects are linked to the systems for harvesting and raising the temperature of solar heat and the storage system for times when there is no sunshine. Moreover the use of molten salt, as in Italy's Archimede project, still requires some research and development for the components that are attacked by that salt. Currently the power of the CSP plants already planned in the world in the short term amounts to about 1,700 MW. Of these 300 MW are considered very probably achievable. In the medium term the development programmes recently launched in the USA and China, which amount to several thousand MW, should be kept in mind. For Italy one could aim at reaching a maximum of 300 MW (0.5 TWh/year) installed by 2020.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
