Solar Power a new direction.

[Rdutch 0]

Im sure this isnt new news, but I thought it was quite interesting and wanted to share, and see what people think. Its a good idea for places like Las Vegas and many other sunny locations. I wonder if they could kill two birds with this method and use saltwater making it a desalination plant as well as power plant? Of course it would be complicated due to the corrosive nature of saltwater. Anyway its worth a read.

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2007/2007-03-30-02.asp

Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!

[shropshire 0]

Very .

I wonder if they will do tours. Next time I'm in Southern Spain, I may pass by.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[skinnyflyer 0]

here, this is a great article about csp;

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2583

"Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives."
A. Sachs

[shropshire 0]

Thanks. That's an interesting primer.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[billvon 3,120]

>Its a good idea for places like Las Vegas and many other sunny locations.

There are several of these scattered throughout the US. They are more suitable for large power plants since the conversion equipment (steam turbines, heat exchangers, rotary generators etc) are mature and common technology. This is the sort of solar power systems proposed by most utilities. A 64 megawatt system is starting up soon outside Las Vegas, and a 500 megawatt plant is planned for the Mojave (startup 2009.)

Desalination can be done by boiling (or vaporizing) water, but it is more energy-efficient to make fresh water from seawater with RO filters. Still-based systems work well but are better suited to small water sources (i.e. a few gallons a day)

[Rdutch 0]

Quote

>Its a good idea for places like Las Vegas and many other sunny locations.

There are several of these scattered throughout the US. They are more suitable for large power plants since the conversion equipment (steam turbines, heat exchangers, rotary generators etc) are mature and common technology. This is the sort of solar power systems proposed by most utilities. A 64 megawatt system is starting up soon outside Las Vegas, and a 500 megawatt plant is planned for the Mojave (startup 2009.)

Desalination can be done by boiling (or vaporizing) water, but it is more energy-efficient to make fresh water from seawater with RO filters. Still-based systems work well but are better suited to small water sources (i.e. a few gallons a day)

Just a question, the idea I thought of was couldnt you kill two birds with one stone. Isnt power generated by steam generated by concentrated solar energy and water? So if you pumped salt water from the ocean to run the plant couldnt you easily create fresh water from the steam. This would help the desert locations with a fresh water supply, and not use up the precious fresh water available. Any idea on how much water a day a system like this would use? Im sure if they use local fresh water they would recycle it. I just thought it would be a good idea, especially in countries like africa and places with a desert environment with close proximity to an ocean. Just wondering?

Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!

[azdiver 0]

Quote

Quote

>Its a good idea for places like Las Vegas and many other sunny locations.

There are several of these scattered throughout the US. They are more suitable for large power plants since the conversion equipment (steam turbines, heat exchangers, rotary generators etc) are mature and common technology. This is the sort of solar power systems proposed by most utilities. A 64 megawatt system is starting up soon outside Las Vegas, and a 500 megawatt plant is planned for the Mojave (startup 2009.)

Desalination can be done by boiling (or vaporizing) water, but it is more energy-efficient to make fresh water from seawater with RO filters. Still-based systems work well but are better suited to small water sources (i.e. a few gallons a day)

Just a question, the idea I thought of was couldnt you kill two birds with one stone. Isnt power generated by steam generated by concentrated solar energy and water? So if you pumped salt water from the ocean to run the plant couldnt you easily create fresh water from the steam. This would help the desert locations with a fresh water supply, and not use up the precious fresh water available. Any idea on how much water a day a system like this would use? Im sure if they use local fresh water they would recycle it. I just thought it would be a good idea, especially in countries like africa and places with a desert environment with close proximity to an ocean. Just wondering?

there is a different type of solar station in Africa already. It is a frame work built up off the ground and covered with sheets of glass, in the center of the structure there is a tower with turbins inside as the sun heats up the ground and air under the glass the air rises through the colum and turns the turbins no water needed. for dry aired areas this or pv generators(if they will hold up) would be the best in my opinion.

light travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak

[billvon 3,120]

>So if you pumped salt water from the ocean to run the plant couldnt
>you easily create fresh water from the steam.

Yes, but then you'd have to pump in the additional energy to raise the temperature of the seawater to boiling, which would require an additional input of about 14%. It would take far less energy (2-3%) to take the energy thus generated and use it to drive an RO-based filter system. (Your scheme would certainly work, but would be less efficient than an RO-based system.)