Storing the sun: thermal energy storage

The technology can operate at higher temperatures, which has an impact on the efficiency of the entire plant. The plant's salt storage can store heat at 600°C, whereas conventional salt storage solutions in use only operate up to 565°C.” 

The biggest advantage of the high-temperature storage is that solar power can be produced even on a cloudy day. While the science behind this kind of thermal storage is complex, the process is fairly simple. First, the salt is transferred from a cold storage tank to the tower’s receiver, where solar power heats it up into molten salt at temperatures from 290°C to 565°C. The salt is then collected in a hot storage tank where it is kept for up to 12 - 16 hours. When electricity is needed, regardless of whether the sun is shining, the molten salt can be routed to a steam generator to power a steam turbine. 

In principle, it works as a heat reservoir much like a common hot water tank, but salt storage can hold two times the amount of energy of a conventional water storage.

The solar receiver is one of the key components of the plant, developed to correspond to the needs of the molten salt cycle.By increasing the temperature, the energy content of the molten salt increases as well, improving the system’s heat-to-electricity efficiency and reducing the overall cost of energy.

The solar receiver is cost-effective and the right technology for the future, not only in complex solar thermal plants, but also in an adapted version in combination with wind farms and photovoltaic plants.

Molten salts can operate at higher temperatures, which has an impact on the efficiency of the entire plant.

This will benefit the climate. Moreover, the old and the new are coming full circle. In the future, the existing structures of coal-fired power plants can be converted into salt storage facilities fed by solar power plants or wind farms. “It really is the optimal place to shape the future.”