Harnessing sun radiation to generate electricity is an
evolutionary process that is accelerating. Electricity is the most
flexible and convenient form of energy to use.
We can consider
Electrical Power Systems as a network with generation nodes (power
plants), long haul transmission lines (Super High Voltage Power Lines)
and distribution lines (the lines that feed homes and business
enterprises).
Solar Energy main advantage is that it is clean and renewable.
There are 3 constraints though that limit the growth pace of
Solar Power Plants production capacity:
1.
The Capital Investment in solar power plant per 1MW (megawatt)
production capacity is still higher than the cost of other power plants,
leading to higher price to the consumer
2. Solar Power Plants
require a relatively larger land and sunny areas; Naturally deserts and
arid areas are most suitable. Deserts however are remote from the dense
population areas. This lead to the necessity to run new Super High
Voltage Power Lines, not a trivial project because of environmental
objections and regulatory processes.
3. Solar radiations is intermittent and available only during the day; Electricity storage technology is not well developed.
The remedies are:
1. Prices of solar power plants are going down with improved technologies and larger scale plants.
2. Build smaller community size clean energy plants closer to the consumers and encourage residential solar power systems.
3. Develop better technologies to store energy.
The
existing storage technologies don't store electricity; they convert
electricity to other energy type during the day and convert it back
during night to electricity
To name a few:
1. Use heat to
melt salt during the day and use the melted salt to heat water to high
pressure steam that will run the steam turbine over night.
2. Pump
water up hill during the day and run the water down hill over night to
drive an hydro turbine (An existing dam can be used).
