I noticed an article at Bloomberg on a (pretty much) completely failed solar thermal plant in Nevada called Crescent Dunes. I've reached my limit of free articles for Bloomberg, but if you haven't, here's the link. Also, it has a wikipedia entry.
This made me think: is there a company that is a clear leader in solar thermal that is making it work?
This seems a difficult topic on which to find solid information.
This site lists 8 companies, which work in CSP (concentrated solar power), but it doesn't really explain if they are making money.
The Bloomsberg article said that that big problem with it is how cheap PV solar has become; solar thermal's advantage is that it is not limited to making electricity during the day. But at what cost, is the issue, I suppose...
4 comments:
I know in OZ Garnaut thinks it is highly possible that solar PV costs will be as low as $30 MHw by 2025.
to put that into context that is the lowest coal fired power was at its zenith. They are much dearer now.
Perhaps solar thermal could be used as a back up if needed.
I must confess a liking for CSP. But we ought to get a few rules out there.
1. No subsidies
2. No non-subsidy incentives expect for wholly owned Australian businesses
3. If we don't want to waste a lot of money we must realise to become the lowest cost manufacturer of heliostats in the world will likely take us 50 years or more.
4. Heliostats belong in the desert, either side of the railway line from Alice Springs upwards. They are not to squeeze out other land uses.
5. Heliostats ought to be the pioneer tree in a multi-use approach to the land.
just remember subsidies are a second best solution to a price on carbon via pigou
No they are not any second best solution. Doesn't matter who you hide behind. They are always a disaster since they prioritise current output to long-term business development. Pigou probably wasn't thinking hard about the issue of reinvestment.
Zero interest loans are a valid incentive, since they don't screw up in the same way as subsidies do.
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