The latest technology of solar thermal power generation

What is solar thermal energy?

Solar thermal energy (STE) is a form of energy and a technology for harnessing solar energy to generate thermal energy for use in industry, and in the residential and commercial sectors. Solar thermal collectors are classified by the United States Energy Information Administration as low-, medium-, or high-temperature collectors.

What is the future of solar energy?

The Future of Solar Energy considers only the two widely recognized classes of technologies for converting solar energy into electricity — photovoltaics (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP), sometimes called solar thermal) — in their current and plausible future forms.

Is solar thermal energy a suitable solution for process heat applications?

Heat energy is preferred as compared to electrical energy to meet the energy requirement of various applications in the process industries. Therefore, the solar thermal energy system is considered to be one of the attractive solutions for producing thermal energy for process heat applications.

What is solar thermal energy augmentation?

Solar heat augmentation for existing fossil fuel power plants is one of the important cost-effective applications for solar thermal systems. Similarly, the solar thermal energy systems can be easily integrated with existing process industries to supply heat to either water pre-heating/steam generation.

What are the different types of solar energy conversion technologies?

Solar energy conversion technologies may be broadly classified into solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal energy systems. Solar PV systems convert solar radiation into electricity directly and thermal systems convert solar radiation into heat.

What are the industrial applications of solar thermal energy?

In this article, an extensive review of various solar thermal energy technologies and their industrial applications are presented. The following industries are covered: power generation, oil and gas, pulp & paper, textile, food processing & beverage, pharmaceutical, leather, automotive, and metal industries.