A CSIRO test plant in Australia has broken a world record and proved solar power could efficiently replace fossil fuels.
A solar thermal test plant in Newcastle, Australia, has generated
“supercritical” steam at a pressure of 23.5 mpa (3400 psi) and 570°C
(1,058°F).
CSIRO is claiming it as a world record, and it’s a HUGE step for solar thermal energy.
"It's like breaking the sound barrier; this step change proves solar
has the potential to compete with the peak performance capabilities of
fossil fuel sources," Dr Alex Wonhas, CSIRO’s Energy Director, told Colin Jeffrey for Gizmag.
The Energy Centre uses a field of more than 600 mirrors (known as
heliostats) directed at two towers housing solar receivers
and turbines, Gizmag reports.
This supercritical steam is used to drive the world’s most advanced
power plant turbines, but it’s only been possible to produce
it by burning fossil fuels such as coal or gas.
"Instead of relying on burning fossil fuels to produce supercritical
steam, this breakthrough demonstrates that the future power plants could instead be using the free, zero-emission energy of the sun
to achieve the same result,” Dr Wonhas explained.
Image: CSIRO
Currently, commercial solar thermal or concentrating solar power
power plants only operate at “subcritical” levels, using less pressurised
steam. This means they’ve never been able to match the output or
efficiency of the world’s best fossil fuel power plants - until now.
The commercial development of this technology is still a fair way
off, but this is an essential first step towards a more sustainable
future.
Watch the video to see the plant in action.
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