Solar thermal energy storage commercialization

What is thermal energy storage?

Thermal energy storage (TES) refers to heat that is stored for later use—either to generate electricity on demand or for use in industrial processes. Power cycles are used in CSP thermal energy plants to convert heat into electricity using sunlight to generate the heat to power a turbine.

What are thermal storage materials for solar energy applications?

Thermal storage materials for solar energy applications Research attention on solar energy storage has been attractive for decades. The thermal behavior of various solar energy storage systems is widely discussed in the literature, such as bulk solar energy storage, packed bed, or energy storage in modules.

What are the applications of thermochemical energy storage?

Numerous researchers published reviews and research studies on particular applications, including thermochemical energy storage for high temperature source and power generation [, , , ], battery thermal management , textiles [31, 32], food, buildings [, , , ], heating systems and solar power plants .

Why is thermal energy storage important in a CSP system?

In that context, thermal energy storage technology has become an essential part of CSP systems, as it can be seen in Fig. 13, and has been highlighted over this review. Despite the total installed cost for CSP plants with TES tends to be higher than those without, storage also allows higher capacity factors.

What is the thermal behavior of solar energy storage systems?

The thermal behavior of various solar energy storage systems is widely discussed in the literature, such as bulk solar energy storage, packed bed, or energy storage in modules. The packed bed represents a loosely packed solid material (rocks or PCM capsules) in a container through which air as heat transfer fluid passes.

Could a new solar-thermal processing plant reduce CSP costs?

SETO awardee, Hyperlight Energy, to launch a new solar-thermal processing plant at a Saputo Cheese production facility in California. A new metal composite for heat exchangers could improve energy conversion and cut costs in CSP plants.