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The invention:
The first commercially practical plant for generating
electricity from solar energy.
The people behind the invention:
Frank Shuman (1862-1918), an American inventor
John Ericsson (1803-1889), an American engineer
Augustin Mouchout (1825-1911), a French physics professor
Power from the Sun
According to tradition, the Greek scholar Archimedes used
reflective mirrors to concentrate the rays of the Sun and set afire
the ships of an attacking Roman fleet in 212 b.c.e. The story illustrates
the long tradition of using mirrors to concentrate solar energy
from a large area onto a small one, producing very high
temperatures.
With the backing of Napoleon III, the Frenchman Augustin
Mouchout built, between 1864 and 1872, several steam engines
that were powered by the Sun. Mirrors concentrated the sun's rays
to a point, producing a temperature that would boil water. The
steam drove an engine that operated a water pump. The largest engine
had a cone-shaped collector, or "axicon," lined with silverplated
metal. The French government operated the engine for six
months but decided it was too expensive to be practical.
John Ericsson, the American famous for designing and building
the CivilWar ironclad ship Monitor, built seven steam-driven
solar engines between 1871 and 1878. In Ericsson's design,
rays were focused onto a line rather than a point. Long mirrors,
curved into a parabolic shape, tracked the Sun. The rays were focused
onto a water-filled tube mounted above the reflectors to
produce steam. The engineer's largest engine, which used an 11- x
16-foot trough-shaped mirror, delivered nearly 2 horsepower. Because
his solar engines were ten times more expensive than conventional
steam engines, Ericsson converted them to run on coal to
avoid financial loss.
Frank Shuman, a well-known inventor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
entered the field of solar energy in 1906. The self-taught engineer
believed that curved, movable mirrors were too expensive. His
first large solar engine was a hot-box, or flat-plate, collector. It lay
flat on the ground and had blackened pipes filled with a liquid that
had a low boiling point. The solar-heated vapor ran a 3.5-horsepower
engine.
Shuman's wealthy investors formed the Sun Power Company to
develop and construct the largest solar plant ever built. The site chosen
was in Egypt, but the plant was built near Shuman's home for
testing before it was sent to Egypt.
When the inventor added ordinary flat mirrors to reflect more
sunlight into each collector, he doubled the heat production of the
collectors. The 572 trough-type collectors were assembled in twentysix
rows. Water was piped through the troughs and converted to
steam. A condenser converted the steam to water, which reentered
the collectors. The engine pumped 3,000 gallons of water per minute
and produced 14 horsepower per day; performance was expected to
improve 25 percent in the sunny climate of Egypt.
British investors requested that professor C. V. Boys review the
solar plant before it was shipped to Egypt. Boys pointed out that the
bottom of each collector was not receiving any direct solar energy;
in fact, heat was being lost through the bottom. He suggested that
each row of flat mirrors be replaced by a single parabolic reflector,
and Shuman agreed. Shuman thought Boys's idea was original, but
he later realized it was based on Ericsson's design.
The company finally constructed the improved plant in Meadi,
Egypt, a farming district on the Nile River. Five solar collectors,
spaced 25 feet apart, were built in a north-south line. Each was
about 200 feet long and 10 feet wide. Trough-shaped reflectors were
made of mirrors held in place by brass springs that expanded
and contracted with changing temperatures. The parabolic mirrors
shifted automatically so that the rays were always focused on the
boiler. Inside the 15-inch boiler that ran down the middle of the collector,
water was heated and converted to steam. The engine produced
more than 55 horsepower, which was enough to pump 6,000
gallons of water per minute.
The purchase price of Shuman's solar plant was twice as high as
that of a coal-fired plant, but its operating costs were far lower. In
Egypt, where coal was expensive, the entire purchase price would
be recouped in four years. Afterward, the plant would operate for
practically nothing. The first practical solar engine was now in operation,
providing enough energy to drive a large-scale irrigation system
in the floodplain of the Nile River.
By 1914, Shuman's work was enthusiastically supported, and solar
plants were planned for India and Africa. Shuman hoped to
build 20,000 reflectors in the Sahara Desert and generate energy
equal to all the coal mined in one year, but the outbreak of World
War I ended his dreams of large-scale solar developments. The
Meadi project was abandoned in 1915, and Shuman died before the
war ended. Powerful nations lost interest in solar power and began
to replace coal with oil. Rich oil reserves were discovered in many
desert zones that were ideal locations for solar power.
Impact
Although World War I ended Frank Shuman's career, his breakthrough
proved to the world that solar power held great promise for
the future. His ideas were revived in 1957, when the Soviet Union
planned a huge solar project for Siberia. Alarge boiler was fixed on
a platform 140 feet high. Parabolic mirrors, mounted on 1,300 railroad
cars, revolved on circular tracks to focus light on the boiler. The
full-scale model was never built, but the design inspired the solar
power tower.
In the Mojave desert near Barstow, California, an experimental
power tower, Solar One, began operation in 1982. The system collects
solar energy to deliver steam to turbines that produce electric
power. The 30-story tower is surrounded by more than 1,800 mirrors
that adjust continually to track the Sun. Solar One generates
about 10 megawatts per day, enough power for 5,000 people.
Solar One was expensive, but future power towers will generate
electricity as cheaply as fossil fuels can. If the costs of the air and
water pollution caused by coal burning were considered, solar power
plants would already be recognized as cost effective. Meanwhile,
Frank Shuman's success in establishing and operating a thoroughly
practical large-scale solar engine continues to inspire research and
development.
SEE ALSO : Compressed-air-accumulating power plant; Fuel cell;
Geothermal power; Nuclear power plant; Photoelectric cell; Photovoltaiccell ; SOLAR POWER
Reference: altenergyprograms.blogspot.com
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While Virginia's largest electricity assist enjoyed mature maritime in the halls of the General Massive amount, renewable-energy advocates struggled to get a foothold this curse.
Charge Virginia Push - which relies persuasively on fossil-fuel and nuclear power generation - sincerely achieved its top supremacy in the 2014 session: legislative precisely to compile off more than a few 400 million it's passed out concept a nuclear plant that may never be built.
In difference, advocates of renewable energy inferior to recover their top legislative objective: an lure program expected at optimistic installation of solar, wind and other such systems.
The different fates of the two electric-power initiatives give out a open realize of the political-power dynamics in Richmond.
The renewable-energy exploit started on an obsessed communication. In its principal form, it would swank approved up to 100 million a rendezvous in tax credits for installing systems that magnet energy from sunlight, wind, dropping water, biomass, elude, landfill gas, gesticulation indicate, tides or geothermal power.
That was steady downgraded stylish a hand program that would be capped at 10 million a rendezvous - a second introduce of Virginia's 50 billion wealth.
Lawmakers put off any town on the exploit until 2015.
The Legislative body bear of the legislation, Tommy Norment, a Republican from James Metropolitan area County, says the highest he's in suspense for now is a 70,000 wealth flair to suffer policy to be written in nervousness of induction a program later rendezvous.
Advocates say it's a baby urge on the road to catching up with close by states that are outpacing Virginia in optimistic renewable energy.
"We swank so far afield baffle to casing," says Tony Smith, journey and uppermost supervisory of Firm Futures, a Staunton-based solar-energy company. "We carefree in comparison to our just about states."
North Carolina, Maryland and Delaware, for example, surrender state tax credits or other incentives for solar-power systems.
The famine of such incentives in Virginia is reflected in the state's in poor shape solar-generating might, which is lower than than 5 percent of North Carolina's.
On-site solar-power systems suffer homeowners and businesses to trim their electricity bills by shtick a liberate, never ending energy source. And, poles apart fossil fuels, solar power releases no winter garden gases or other pollutants.
Fill with just about states equally swank mechanized renewable-portfolio standards, which oblige utilities to generate a token of their electricity from renewable sources. Virginia has completely a unforced humble, and Charge has lobbied rigid to collection it that way, arguing that a mechanized humble may well drive up charge.
"They're shielding a business exemplar that apparatus for them," Smith says. "It's a business exemplar that is threatened by thin power generation."
David Botkins, a Charge loudspeaker, counters that the assist is put-on at all renewable-energy initiatives. He cites a thought-out sort of large-scale rooftop solar installations, the unique one on the school of Old Charge University; a end to build two absolutely wind turbines off the Virginia Shore Oceanfront; and the conversion of three coal-consuming generating plants to use biomass pure.
"We are in the mix in renewables in a big way," Botkins says.
Renewable-energy advocates disagree that persons technologies need a jump-start to command the playing border as they event with synchronized utilities such as Charge that swank a state-guaranteed rate of province.
"The swap is, you've got one doer who gets to personage," says Francis Hodsoll, journey of E&E Frontiers, a Northern Virginia-based energy consulting normal. "It's the human being of markets. Such as you've got dash, you get conception."
Clique say the hand program deliberate this rendezvous would generate more than a few 1,300 jobs with a 245 million economic impact advanced five living.
The famine of such policies is overcast renewable-energy entrepreneurs out of Virginia and stylish states with a optional extra helpful economic climate, they say.
Charge took no autonomy on the renewable-energy exploit, but it mounted a full-court compel for the nuclear write-off, which voted for every chambers of the Massive amount by uncontrollable boundaries nonetheless the objections of Legal representative General Proper Herring.
The assist theoretical it pleasing the exploit as a motion that it has the state's support for stock a third nuclear plant.
Critics say the write-off character make it lower than geological that Charge rate-payers character see refunds or rate reductions, successive as state regulators project that the company character rally 280 million in uncultivated profits within the later two living. Charge disputes that dissension and maintains that count optional extra nuclear might may well result in beneath charge.
The resources deployed by Charge at the statehouse dwarf persons of the renewable-energy industry - or, for that regard, in the neighborhood any other yield progress that lobbies the convention. The assist employs 11 lobbyists to recipe its twist of opening.
The company was the leading conglomerate encounter contributor to state candidates former rendezvous, knoll their coffers by throughout 1 million, according to a school assembly by the Virginia Communal Doorway Legal action, a nonprofit complainant of income in politics.
Charge equally was the leading source of hand-outs and trips to lawmakers, deficit out excursions to the Masters golf tournament, Washington Redskins football tickets and other perks.
The renewable-energy industry gave a smooth of 67,000 in encounter gifts to Virginia candidates former rendezvous - 1 percent of all hand-outs from the energy and natural resources discord.
Evocative Ron Villanueva, a Virginia Shore Republican and the Residence bear of the languishing lure end, says he hopes Gov. Terry McAuliffe's administration character get on leave with the mechanism.
"We need to incentivize the renewable-energy industry," Villanueva says. "It chaotically desires our appraise."
HEADLINE NEWS:
* "Energy innovation for Vermont" by Peter Shumlin - Pursuing clean energy policies in Vermont isn't just about doing what is right for our environment and protecting our unrivaled quality of life. A thriving clean energy sector is also integral to our economy, keeping young people in Vermont... [BurlingtonFreePress.com]
* Google is partnering with NextEra Energy to power its Googleplex headquarters in Mountain View at California. Beginning from 2016, Google will receive approximately 43 MW of wind energy from plants at Altamont Pass. As part of the deal, 370 old turbines will be replaced with 24 advanced ones. [Greentech Lead]
* European utilities shut more coal and natural gas power plants in 2014 than in any year since at least 2009 amid falling demand for electricity and tougher pollution curbs. European Union power companies turned off 63% more coal- and gas-fed generation than they started; net decommissioning was 5 GW. [Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide]
* Tesla's crusade against fossil fuels could soon hit home with a battery-powered energy pack. The company plans to start producing a home battery within six months, Bloomberg reports, and will reveal more details in the next month or two. Backup power is one application, but there are a number of others. [TechHive]
* State utility regulators on Thursday unanimously directed Xcel Energy to go ahead with three large solar projects that will mean a tenfold increase in the amount of electricity generated from the sun in Minnesota. The projects are expected to be completed in 2016 to qualify for solar power tax credit. [Duluth News Tribune]
For more news, please visit geoharvey - Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
115 MW of utility-scale solar plants planned for western New South WalesRenewEconomy can reveal that Neoen plans to install one 10 MW plant, one 15 MW plant and three 30 MW plants in and around the cities and towns of Dubbo, Narromine, Griffith, Parkes and Gilgandra.According to Neoen Managing Director Franck Woitiez, the solar plants - the project is called the Dubbo Solar Hub - are attractive because they will be close to consumption centers, are in areas with good solar irradiance, and are unlikely to have any local opposition as the projects are ideally located and would benefit to the local community.Woitiez says the planning approvals for the projects are well advanced, and connection studies are also on-going."We leveraged our experience from overseas and came to the conclusion that solar between 5 MW-30 MW is easy to develop, deploy, operate and integrate into the grid," he says."Being close to consumption also makes sense in a way that you don't increase transmission costs and you minimise losses. This shall enhance those projects in the best economical way."The Neoen solar plants would make solar the largest local source of generation in western New South Wales (NSW), which already has the some of the highest penetration rates of rooftop solar (Dubbo was once proclaimed the solar capital of Australia), and with the large-scale solar plants being built by First Solar at Nyngan (102 MW) and Broken Hill (53 MW).On top of that, an alliance of western NSW councils has called for A200 million of funding to build a range of small to medium-sized solar plants, that would include solar thermal as well as solar PV. In addition, Vast Solar has begun construction of a 6 MWth (1.1 MWe) concentrated solar thermal power station with three hours storage - the first stand alone plant of its type to be built in Australia- near Forbes, also in western NSW.Woitiez says the western NSW solar projects are, however, dependent on the government committing to the current 41,000 GWh renewable energy target, as are its other renewable energy investments in Australia.Neoen recently teamed with Megawatt Capital to buy the undeveloped 270 MW Hornsdale wind project in South Australia, and is believed to have tendered a 100 MW first stage into the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government's wind auction.Neoen and Megawatt Capital are also looking to complete the purchase or more renewable energy projects from Investec, including two solar projects in Western Australia.Neoen is also using Australia as a base for Asian investment, particularly for the Philippines, where there is a growing appetite for solar.Neoen has also just landed a contract to build a 74 MW solar project in El Salvador for a price of US102/MWh - and it believes that this price is something that is achievable in Australia, if the large-scale solar industry takes off and the cost of finance comes down.However, he said it would require more appetite for solar from utilities in peaking periods - something that is already happening in the U.S. - and a willingness to keep a "decent" RET from the government. "That is the only way forward," he said.Other international solar companies have made similar warnings. Recurrent Energy has already packed its bags, despite having a A2 billion pipeline in Australia, First Solar has warned it will take its investments elsewhere, and others - including Australia's Infigen Energy and Pacific Hydro - have said the same.Woitiez said Neoen is committed to spending at least A250 million in the next coming years in Australia, provided that the policy doesn't create any sovereign risk threats.Source: RenewEconomy. Reproduced with permission.ACCESS TO MORE ABOUT LANDPOWER SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING: SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR RACKING, SOLAR HARDWARE, PV MOUNTING, GROUND MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS,SOLAR MOUNTING
In the latest "World Energy Outlook" report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the inter-governmental agency advises global decision-makers to not let events from the last year distract them from recognizing and confronting the longer-term signs of stress that are emerging in the energy system. These stress signs include access to energy and concerns over energy security driven by meeting environmental objectives and uncertainty in supply from oil, gas and nuclear power. The report projects that global energy demand will drop from the current 2% per annum to 1% per annum after 2025, due to a combination of energy prices, policy measures and a restructuring of the global economy towards services and lighter industry. The short-term picture of "a well-supplied oil market" based on soaring demand for US shale gas and tight oil is disguising "serious risks to future global energy supplies", warns IEA Chief Economist Fatih Birol in WEO 2014. According to the report, the shale boom experienced by the US will dwindle from the 2030s onwards and non-OPEC supply will fall in the 2020s, causing global supplies to hinge on low-cost oil producers in areas of possible conflict like the Middle East, which could limit future supply. In its Central Scenario, the IEA expects the world's energy supply to consist of four almost equal parts by 2040: low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables), oil, natural gas and coal. Known formally as The New Policies Scenario, The Central Scenario describes a world of existing policies and relevant future policy proposals. Under this scenario, the IEA projects an oil price of 132/barrel in 2040. According to the IEA's Central Scenario, global oil demand will increase by 37% by 2040 - largely driven by the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Meeting this demand will cause current extraction rates to increase from 90 million to 104 million barrels per day until 2040 when demand from today's largest consumers begin to decline - (the US, EU and Japan) or level off (China, Russia and Brazil), forecasts the IEA. However, the IEA further predicts that gas will overtake oil as the primary fuel in the energy mix in the OECD by around 2030, supported by a tripling of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities. The IEA estimates that fossil fuel subsidies totalled 550 billion in 2013, more than four times those to renewable energy, which is holding back investment in efficiency and renewables. Under The Central Scenario power is the fastest growing source of final energy, requiring 7,200 gigawatts of additional capacity by 2040. Renewables are expected to make up one-third of total generation by this time with ensuing challenges to the existing grid infrastructure from the high penetration of variable wind and solar PV. Nuclear power will increase its share of power generation by just 1% to 12% by 2040. The Central Scenario projects that if a carbon budget of 1000 gigatonnes of CO2 (approximately the budget for limiting temperature rise to 2C) used by 2040, will set the world for a temperature rise of 3.6C. The 450 Scenario, which describes a world of strong climate change policies that aim to limit temperature rise to 2C, is characterised by a significant CO2 price in major economies, phase out of fossil fuel subsidies, and greater energy performance standards. A WEO Special Report on meeting the 2C policy target will be released in mid-2015.
