Alternative energy: solar thermal systems · Photovoltaics (PV) • Leading the way in developing...

Alternative energy: solar thermal systemsRisk and opportunities

Adrian Dawson4 June 2018ENERGY

Photovoltaics (PV)• Leading the way in developing low cost, environmentally friendly production methods and flexible materials

through R&D in perovskite and organic solar cells as a cheaper option to silicon cells.

• Laboratory and ‘real world’ testing of commercial PV panels to better inform consumers with results published in CHOICE.

• Our Photovoltaics Performance Laboratory is the only facility in the Southern Hemisphere to receive international accreditation for measuring solar cell performance.

Alternative energy: solar thermal | Adrian Dawson2 |

Our suite of solar energy capabilitiesSolar photovoltaics Concentrated solar thermal Solar cooling and heating

• Developing new solar cooling technologies using thermally driven cooling process.

• Concentrated solar thermal energy is captured in collectors and then used to heat and expand a refrigerant, creating an endothermic condition. This then cools the surrounding environment by removing heat.

• Controlled Climate Test Facility to test heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) components to improve efficiency and performance in a simulated environment.

• Stockland Wendouree Shopping Centre in Ballarat, Victoria is demonstrating a high efficiency CSIRO air-conditioning system that uses solar heat energy captured in parabolic troughs to dehumidify air before using indirect evaporative cooling to lower its temperature.

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Solar cooling and heating

Alternative energy: solar thermal | Adrian Dawson

• Australia's largest CST research facility is used to develop advanced power cycles, industrial process applications, materials testing all at very high temperatures (600 – 1000°C).

• Achieved a world first in demonstrating solar thermal supercritical steam.

• Through the Australian Solar Thermal Initiative we have partnered with six Australian universities and the US Dept. of Energy, Sandia and Arizona State University to deliver cutting edge R&D into all aspects of concentrated solar power (CSP) including heliostats, power cycles, materials science, industrial processing, solar fuels and thermal energy storage (TES).

• Commercialised our heliostat technology in Australia and overseas.

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Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST)

30m30m30m

450 heliostats4000 m2 field~ 1.2MWthermal


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Energy use in broiler production

83%

17%

GJ (energy consumption)

heating (LPG) electricity

32%

68%

$ (energy cost)

heating (LPG) electricity

HEATINGOver 80% of energy use goes towards heating LPG is presumably the main source of heatLPG price is volatile ~ oil price, strength of currency

Source: https://www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au/fuelwatch/pages/public/benchmark_prices.jspx


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ELECTRICITY

Almost 20% of energy use goes towards electricity

Assuming adherence to a 2°C temp rise (as per Paris Agreement)

Solar, gas and wind clearly cheaper

Source: CSIRO Electricity generation technology cost projections 2017 – 2050, 2017


Of course, energy costs are ultimately linked to each operations location, size and energy infrastructure. However, it is almost certain that an enterprises operating costs for;

HEAT• Will continue to follow the volatility of LPG prices. ELECTRICITY • Will continue to rise into the future.

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So what does this mean for broiler production?

In terms of profitability, these scenarios will ultimately reduce the competitive advantage of business and represent RISK.


Source: CSIRO Low Emissions Technology Roadmap, 2017

Comparison of electricity retail price between pathways

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So what are the considerations for alternative energy?ReliabilityAlternative energy technologies while in the past may have been met with scepticism are now very much proven.

Alternative energy resource data readily available (e.g. solar irradiance, biomass calorific values etc.)

ExperienceA number of Australian poultry, pork and dairy producers have invested in alternative energy including solar PV, solar thermal and anaerobic digestion.

US and EU broiler producers have experience in anaerobic digestion of spent litter.

Other producers have explored using pyrolysis of spent litter for combined heat and power (CHP) and other thermo-chemical conversion.

FinanceClean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is committed to assisting agribusiness improve profitability through the adoption of renewable energy.

https://www.cefc.com.au/where-we-invest/agribusiness/

Ultimately scale, energy resource and business stability (both the technology provider and consumer) also influence investment.

Social Licence Being socially responsible and progressive in terms of health safety and environment with minimal impact.


https://www.cefc.com.au/where-we-invest/agribusiness/

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Source: http://nineplanets.org/thesun.html


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Electricity from the sun

Solar PV


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Solar PV has taken off

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Australian PV installations since April 2001: total capacity (kW)

Source: http://pv-map.apvi.org.au/analyses

Source: https://reneweconomy.com.au/tesla-big-battery-officially-switched-on-in-south-australia-55285/

Source: CSIRO Electricity generation technology cost projections 2017 – 2050, 2017

Batteries are coming…

Source: https://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/solar-choice-brokers-100kw-for-doug-hall-poultry-millmerran-qld/doug-hall-poultry-2/


So electricity from the solar PV is established

Storing electricity from solar PV is established

WHAT ABOUT HEAT?LPG

BiomassBiogas

Heat PumpSolar

12 | Alternative energy: solar thermal | Adrian Dawson

Solar thermal – non concentrating

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Heat from the sun


Presentation title | Presenter name14 |

Heat from the sunSolar thermal - concentrating

How do we harness the suns energy for heat?

Solar Thermal Collector Types

Temperature °C 50 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

non-concentrating

concentrating

solar pond

flat plate

evacuated tube

non-tracking

single-axis

two-axes tracking

compound parabolic

compound parabolic

parabolic dish

linear Fresnel

parabolic trough

heliostat field


Non-concentrating solar collectors

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Source: http://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/solar-hot-water/flat-plate-collector.html Source: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/sol_wat.htm

Source: http://www.qldwindmillandsolar.com.au/solar-hot-waterSource: https://www.kingspan.com/irl/en-ie/product-groups/renewable-technologies/solar-thermal-solutions/renewable-energy-grants-incentives/tams-ii-young-farmer-scheme


Flat Plate versus Evacuated Tube

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Source: http://www.neopower.com.au/index.php/evacuated-tube-solar-hot-water/solar-collector

Source: https://www.solartubs.com/advantages-of-solar-vacuum-tubes.html

Considerations:• Cost (flat plate collectors are cheaper)

• Duty (how much heat do you need)

• Location (Tasmania versus Queensland)

• Site (how much area is available for install)


Concentrated solar thermal

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Source: https://inhabitat.com/areva-announces-plans-to-build-largest-solar-installation-in-asia/compact-linear-fresnel-reflector/

Source: Taylan, O. Fuel Production Using Concentrated Solar Energy, 2013

Dish Linear Fresnel

Parabolic trough Central receiver


Benefits of concentrated solar thermal technologyEach of the collector types on their own merit could deliver savings

But which one would integrate with existing LPG heater systems?

Heating with LPG burners is typically achieved through high temperature combustion gases delivered through forced convection.

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Central receiver systems• Are capable of temperatures over 1000°C

• Utilise more of the available solar resource

• Have the highest solar concentration, thus the smallest footprint for given heat capacity (take up less land)

• Fluid lines are static (no rotating fluid pipes or hoses)

• Possibly less geotechnical engineering than linear Fresnel and parabolic troughs.

• Well suited to thermal storage

• Well suited to combined heat and power (CHP)

• Well suited to integrating with existing industrial heaters, including LPG.

• Minimal OPEX (in most cases no need for additional staffing)

• Supplies dry heat (no water vapour from combustion of hydrocarbons)

• Better air quality (no exhaust products from combustion of hydrocarbons)



Receiver

Heliostat Field

Hot Fluid

Cold Fluid

Thermal Energy Storage600°C

Solar Irradiance

What would it look like?

Basic concept• Capture solar heat during day• Use existing forced heating

system ducting• Use existing LPG as back up

CSIRO’s CST industrial heater developmentIndustrial heatCSIRO has been working with a number of technologists and manufacturers, including a licensee of our heliostat technology (Heliostat South Australia) to develop a low-cost industrial heater based on a central receiver collector.

The concentrated solar thermal (CST) would consist of;

• CSIRO’s proven heliostats and heliostat control system for 2-axis tracking of the sun for maximum efficiency.• A simple, cost effective tower with a low cost receiver.• Option for closed-loop or open-loop heating circuit.• Option for thermal energy storage.

Progress

To date, CSIRO modelling of our CST Industrial Heater has shown that;

• Depending on scale, the levelised cost of heat (LCOH) from our CST system would be between $10 - $15 per GJ or $0.25 – 0.38 per litre LPG.

• These prices are unsubsidised, consider no price on carbon and amortised over 20 years with a 6% discount rate and 6% contingency cost.

Future workOur team is continuing to work with industry to better understand their heat requirements and how CST industrial heat can add value and increase profitability.

Our licensees, with assistance from CSIRO, are working with manufacturing and engineering teams to constantly evaluate and update economic modelling of CST systems and find further savings.


Sundrop Farms

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Source: http://ramblingsdc.net/Australia/SolarPower/20160905_36-37es.jpg

Source: http://www.sundropfarms.com/sundrop-system/

Source: https://reneweconomy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016-10-06_Sundrop-Farms-project-opening_Tomatoes-3-300x225.jpg


• Phase change materials (PCMS) for thermal storage (incorporated in shed panelling)

• Possible decoupling of alternative energy supply “use here, make elsewhere”

• Work in synergy with surrounding resources and industry, for example

– Co-digest for better anaerobic digester performance and economy of scale

– Diversify to better utilise and add further value to on-site resources (chicken litter, existing alternative energy systems)

• Power (heat and/or electricity) purchase agreements (PPAs)

• Continually look at developments across the various energy technologies and methods

– thermo-chemical processes (combustion, pyrolysis, gasification)

– solar thermal (non-concentrating and concentrating)

– anaerobic digestion (ammonia stripping and microbes)

– heat pumps and phase change materials

– composting

• Innovate through industry, engineering and scientific R&D collaboration

• Network with other producers, industry and stakeholders


Other ideas for heat and energy savings

Japan

• Japanese Ministry of Environment provided a grant to Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems who using our solar thermal technology established a field of 150 heliostats in Yokohama for running research projects.

Cyprus

• The Mediterranean island of Cyprus currently relies heavily on oil to generate electricity. Due to its climate, it is also reliant on drawing fresh water from sea-water desalination, which requires a significant energy input.

• To satisfy European legislation, Cyprus is now committed to deriving 13 per cent of its total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020.

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CSIRO Concentrated Solar Thermal Industry Engagement

Our solar thermal field spreads out over half an acre in Cyprus, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Peak Performance ~ 150 kWt


Thermal Focus

• We have partnered with Chinese company Thermal Focus to license our low cost heliostat technology in China, with a shared revenue stream back to Australia to fund further climate mitigation research.

• Our unique CST design features smaller than conventional heliostats, and uses an advanced control system to get high performance from a cost-effective design. The software optimises the configuration of the heliostats prior to construction and manages each heliostat to ensure the optimum amount of reflected heat is focused on the receiver, maximising the amount of power that can be produced.

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CSIRO Concentrated Solar Thermal Industry EngagementCSIRO Heliostat LicenseesHeliostat South Australia (HSA)

• Small astigmatism gives low spill losses at tower receiver

• Control system’s patented automatic intensity management feature accurately optimises receiver irradiance for maximum performance across all times of day and season

• Linear actuators on ‘Tilt and Roll’ system provides significant cost savings over rotating drives


Solar Energy SystemsAdrian Dawsont +61 2 4960 6236e [email protected] www.csiro.au/energy

ENERGY/LOW EMISSIONS TECHNOLOGY

Thank you

Alternative energy: solar thermal systems · Photovoltaics (PV) • Leading the way in developing...

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