Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Ward
I was under the impession that thermal solar could infact be baseload and run 24/7, well, at least the thermal-technology that went to China....  ..... as it worked by super-heating large quantities of saline which had enough thermal inertia to make turbine-steam until the next heating cycle. |
That's right. A high concentration saline medium was used as the energy storage with its high melting point and capability to extract heat at anytime day or night. Extend periods of lack of solar energy were supplimented by a heater and trace heating to ensure the medium remain "liquid" throughout the process.
I thought this had the most promise to bringing solar closer to "base load" than any other type of "off the shelf" technology.
Darrin...