Stirling Energy Systems (SES) announced that it has signed a contract to build a 300-900 MW dish solar facility for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). The power company has agreed to a contract to buy all the power produced by the 300 MW first phase of the project. The plant will consist of 12,000 solar dishes located on approximately three square miles of land located in the Imperial Valley of California. SDG&E has options to buy electricity from two additional 300 MW facilities.
This announcement comes on the heels of an August announcement to build a 500 MW power station for Southern California Edison in the Mojave Desert.
These two plants represent a huge boost for thermal solar power in general and for SES in particular. These two plants make SES the largest supplier of solar power for electrical generation in the world. Their system has a long history of development and demonstration and a lot of experience has been gained. By reproducing a large quantity of the same model they reduce their risk. They, as a company, have little manufacturing experience. They have assembled strategic alliances with Kockums for supply of their Stirling engines and Shuff Steel for their steel fabrication and erection. This still puts a lot of pressure on a company like SES and I wish them the best of luck.
Resources:
300-900 MW Solar Project Planned for Southern California, Renewable Energy Access, 9/7/05
Stirling Energy Systems Inc., Phoenix, AZ
Technocrati tags: solar power, renewable energy, dish-Sterling systems
The fact that the cold temp is just blowing to the air at 500F makes me think of the need to capture the 500 F and sending it to a absorption air conditioner. Normally absorption AC need around 350 F, to high for most solar flat panels. At 3X4X82 mirrors SQFT. and 330 btu/hr. produces 324720 minus 24 kw x3400 81600 leaves at least 200,000 btu/hr at 500f to 400F.
If this machine could be built and sold for $50,000 4 families could by and pay off the cost with electrical, AirCondistion, hot water, winter heating in less than 5 years.
Posted by: John Weaver | February 09, 2007 at 11:20 AM
I very much appreciate these two posts being brought up to the top however briefly by the first commentor.
When I first so the brochure, a few earth days ago, I was puzzled by why they want toturn the heat into electricy, the motive force that is. It seemed that pumping water etc. would be a better use for it.
But then we have the scale. Again I have to ask, is it greed? Are they continuing to trol the relatively price insensitive markets, believing the rest of us will wait our turn for a more reasonably marked up unit for our backyards?
The bit about families sharing infrastructure is unfortunate I'm not sure I understand why the system can't be more closely scaled.
I never did find out what happened to the chemical that turns water upon freezing into slush, maintaining the phase change TES capacity but allowing it to be plumbed thatI read about in the NYT's in the early 90's. At the time I was trying to get phenix to sell me oneof his 350/500 gallon/ton units. Since then SMUD killed his company leaving him as just another developer of subdivisions but I also wonder about what has happened to all those units and there calling in daily to mastercontrol for info on how much ice to make for the next day.
I shared the facts with him and he promissed to look at incorporating the technology- but alas never did to my knowledge nor expanded his market base despite visiting the wrong part of my state (my city had sweeter watermellon ability, that is temp volatility, less island locked heatwise nightly when ice making rocks if you still can get cold air for free)
In fact I know nothing about the slush getting used anywhere,e ven though I justu learned a land grant univesity has maxed out it's ice storage after doing the same for cogeneration.
So saving money on refrigeration is a very sore point. Ice storage rocks. One wonders if even shipping ice up from alaska would be a better use for rail then coal........
Posted by: karl (this is what Imeant by other parts of the spectrum) | February 09, 2007 at 12:35 PM
If you have looked into solar energy as a method for heating your home, panels are usually the first things that come up.
There are, however, other unique methods.
The Solar Heating Aspect You Have Never Heard of Before
The power of the sun is immense. The energy in one day of sunlight is more than the world needs. The problem, of course,
is how does one harness this power. Solar panels represent the obvious solution, but they have their downside. First,
they can be expensive depending upon your energy needs. Second, they do not exactly blend in with the rest of your home.
Passive solar heating represents a panel free method of harnessing the inherent energy found in the sun for heating
purposes. If you come out from a store and open the door of your car in the summer, you understand the concept of passive
solar heating. A wide variety of material absorbs sunlight and radiates the energy back into the air in the form of heat.
Passive solar heating for a home works the same way as the process which overheats your car in the parking lot.
Posted by: heating | February 28, 2007 at 08:59 PM
Deseo conocer la generador stirling
Esta funcionando alguno de uso domestico?
Posted by: Alejandro Tamayo | September 28, 2007 at 09:03 PM
I'm working on a green house project. I'm really interested by this parabolic trough collector technolgy and I really would like to know if it's reliable for single housing application.
thanks a lot!
Husky air compressor
Posted by: Husky air | June 22, 2010 at 04:44 AM
Can anyone provide me information about solar stirling engine study or design, or send me the name of some book? please!!! im really interested in this tecnology
Posted by: gianfranco rojas | June 28, 2010 at 12:37 AM