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  • - A radical idea to get a high-renewable electric grid

    This is an interesting approach to optaining very high penetration of renewables such as photovoltaics and wind.  At present most large installations operate under Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) wherein the economics are based on a sell all output at predetermined prices. This contrasts with standalone systems wherein the system size Read More
  • - Breakthrough Batteries Powering the Era of Clean Electrification

    - Breakthrough Batteries Powering the Era of Clean Electrification Battery Storage Costs Drop Dramatically, Making Way to a New Era. A recent Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) report continues to confirm that clean electrification through batteries is advancing at impressive rates. Very interesting report: Breakthrough Batteries- Powering the Era of Clean Electrification Read More
  • - Interesting Technology

    An assortment of links to interesting information   Semiconductor Nanowires Could Double the Efficiency of Silicon Solar Cells A p/n semiconductor junction is not the only way of converting sunshine into useful electrical energy.  Light consists of a flow of photons of various energy levels (colors).  See this article-Solar Cells.  Nanowires Read More
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When the Abengoa Solana CSP plant went online in October of 2013, it was the largest working parabolic trough plant in the world (since surpassed). Solana covers more than 1,900 acres in central Arizona and it created over 2,000 construction jobs and 85 permanent jobs. These numbers do not take into effect the number of indirect jobs created as a result of the injection of capital into the community and state.

Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest electric utility, has contracted to purchase all the power generated by Solana for 30 years. On a daily basis, APS determines how Solana should produce and store its energy in order to best meet local demand. The 3,200 concave mirrors concentrate light onto the heat transfer fluid, heating it to 740 degrees Fahrenheit. About 270 miles of pipe transport the fluid to the power block where it can either be sent to the steam generator to boil water and create steam to drive two 140 megawatt turbines, or it can be sent to one of 12 giant salt tanks to be stored for later use. The salt tanks can hold the heat from the fluid for up to six hours. When electricity is needed, the heat in the hot salt is transferred into another holding tank where it is converted into steam to produce electricity.

One major drawback of CSP plants like Solana is that they need significant water for their cooling operations; however, the project’s land was previously designated for agriculture and the plant uses 75% less water for solar energy production than its previous designation.

Abengoa estimates that under optimal conditions, Solana can produce enough electricity to power 70,000 homes.

About

  • Welcome to the Arizona Solar Center

     This is your source for solar and renewable energy information in Arizona. Explore various technologies, including photovoltaics, solar water heating, solar architecture, solar cooking and wind power. Keep up to date on the latest industry news. Follow relevant lectures, expositions and tours. Whether you are a homeowner looking to become more energy efficient, a student learning the science behind the technologies or an industry professional, you will find valuable information here.
  • About The Arizona Solar Center

    About The Arizona Solar Center Arizona Solar Center Mission- The mission of the Arizona Solar Center is to enhance the utilization of renewable energy, educate Arizona's residents on solar technology developments, support commerce and industry in the development of solar and other sustainable technologies and coordinate these efforts throughout the state of Arizona. About the Arizona Solar Center- The Arizona Solar Center (AzSC) provides a broad-based understanding of solar energy, especially as it pertains to Arizona. Registered Read More
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