Solar Energy

Solar power heats materials over 1,000 degrees Celsius

Published

4 months ago

May 17, 2024

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Solar power heats materials over 1,000 degrees Celsius

by Robert Schreiber

Berlin, Germany (SPX) May 16, 2024

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a method to generate heat exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius using solar power. This innovation could replace fossil fuels in energy-intensive industries like steel and cement production. The study, published in the journal Device on May 15, utilizes synthetic quartz to capture solar energy, demonstrating the potential for clean energy in these industries.

“To tackle climate change, we need to decarbonize energy in general,” said Emiliano Casati of ETH Zurich. “People tend to only think about electricity as energy, but in fact, about half of the energy is used in the form of heat.”

The production of glass, steel, cement, and ceramics requires high temperatures, traditionally achieved by burning fossil fuels. These industries account for about 25% of global energy consumption. Researchers have explored using solar receivers to concentrate and build heat, but transferring solar energy efficiently above 1,000 degrees Celsius has been challenging.

Casati’s team enhanced solar receivers using quartz, which traps sunlight through the thermal-trap effect. They created a device with a synthetic quartz rod and an opaque silicon disk to absorb energy. When exposed to intense sunlight, the device’s absorber plate reached 1,050 degrees Celsius, while the quartz rod’s other end remained at 600 degrees Celsius.

“Previous research has only managed to demonstrate the thermal-trap effect up to 170 degrees Celsius,” Casati said. “Our research showed that solar thermal trapping works not just at low temperatures, but well above 1,000 degrees Celsius. This is crucial to show its potential for real-world industrial applications.”

Using a heat transfer model, the team simulated the quartz’s efficiency under various conditions. The model showed that thermal trapping achieves target temperatures at lower concentrations with similar performance or higher efficiency at equal concentrations. For example, a state-of-the-art receiver has an efficiency of 40% at 1,200 degrees Celsius with a concentration of 500 suns. A receiver shielded with 300 mm of quartz achieves 70% efficiency at the same temperature and concentration. The unshielded receiver requires at least 1,000 suns for comparable performance.

Casati’s team is optimizing the thermal-trapping effect and exploring new applications. They have tested other materials, such as different fluids and gases, to reach even higher temperatures. The ability of these semitransparent materials to absorb light or radiation is not limited to solar radiation.

“Energy issue is a cornerstone to the survival of our society,” Casati said. “Solar energy is readily available, and the technology is already here. To really motivate industry adoption, we need to demonstrate the economic viability and advantages of this technology at scale.”

Research Report:Solar thermal trapping at 1000C and above

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Solar Energy

Argonne to lead National Energy Storage Research Hub

Published

1 day ago

September 6, 2024

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Argonne to lead National Energy Storage Research Hub

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 05, 2024

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Argonne National Laboratory to lead the newly established Energy Storage Research Alliance (ESRA), a national hub focused on advancing energy storage technologies. The ESRA, co-led by DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), is one of two new Energy Innovation Hubs announced by the DOE.

Bringing together nearly 50 leading researchers from three national laboratories and 12 universities, ESRA aims to address the most critical challenges in battery technology, such as safety, high-energy density, and the development of long-duration storage solutions using cost-effective and abundant materials. The initiative is designed to push the boundaries of energy storage science, fostering innovation and strengthening the competitive edge of the U.S. in this crucial field.

“The demand for high-performance, low-cost and sustainable energy storage devices is on the rise, especially those with potential to deeply decarbonize heavy-duty transportation and the electric grid,” stated Shirley Meng, ESRA director and chief scientist at the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science. “To achieve this, energy storage technology must reach levels of unprecedented performance, surpassing the capabilities of current lithium-ion technology. The key to making these transformative leaps lies in a robust research and development initiative firmly grounded in basic science.”

Leveraging decades of investment in fundamental science, ESRA will focus on transformative discoveries in materials chemistry, a deeper understanding of electrochemical processes at the atomic level, and establishing the scientific foundations necessary for major advancements in energy storage technology.

“ESRA creates an energy storage research ecosystem with the mission to rapidly innovate, shorten the time between basic discovery and technology development, and train the next-generation workforce,” commented Bryan McCloskey, ESRA deputy director for scientific thrusts and a faculty engineer at Berkeley Lab.

The success of ESRA’s efforts will lead to the development of high-energy batteries that are fire-resistant, capable of providing long-duration storage for multiple days, have a lifespan of several decades, and are constructed from low-cost, widely available materials.

“ESRA will pave the way for innovative energy storage solutions that drive both U.S. prosperity and security,” said Argonne Director Paul Kearns. “As the lead laboratory for ESRA under the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, Argonne takes pride in spearheading this collaborative effort that unites world-leading experts and taps the impressive scientific resources available in national labs and academia.”

The DOE has committed up to $62.5 million in funding for ESRA over the next five years.

In addition to its research goals, the Argonne-led hub will prioritize training a diverse, next-generation battery workforce to meet future manufacturing demands. This will be achieved through innovative training programs that involve industry, academia, and government partnerships.

“Cultivating a diverse workforce dedicated to safeguarding America’s energy resilience is key to ESRA’s mission,” noted Wei Wang, ESRA deputy director for crosscuts and director of the Energy Storage Materials Initiative at PNNL. “Through our strategic equity and inclusion initiatives, we plan to create a robust training ground for energy storage science from the undergraduate to postdoctoral levels.”

With Berkeley Lab and PNNL as co-leads, the ESRA collaboration brings together comprehensive expertise across the energy storage spectrum. Their state-of-the-art capabilities in technology discovery, modeling and simulation, and materials synthesis and characterization complement those of Argonne, setting the stage for significant advancements in energy storage.

Argonne is joined by 14 partners in this initiative, all of whom are deeply involved in ESRA’s scientific endeavors, governance, strategic development, and the training of the next generation of battery scientists and engineers. This collaboration among national laboratories and universities is vital for discovering new materials, accelerating the development of technology, and commercializing new energy storage innovations.

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Solar Energy

UN’s Guterres says China-Africa ties can drive ‘renewable energy revolution’

Published

2 days ago

September 6, 2024

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UN’s Guterres says China-Africa ties can drive ‘renewable energy revolution’

by AFP Staff Writers

Beijing (AFP) Sept 5, 2024

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told African leaders Thursday that expanding ties between China and the continent could “drive the renewable energy revolution”.

Guterres and more than 50 African leaders are attending this week’s China-Africa forum, according to state media.

Guterres told the gathering that “China’s remarkable record of development — including on eradicating poverty — provides a wealth of experience and expertise”.

“It can be a catalyst for key transitions on food systems and digital connectivity,” he said.

“And as home to some of the world’s most dynamic economies, Africa can maximise the potential of China’s support in areas from trade to data management, finance and technology,” Guterres added.

Guterres also told the leaders it was time to correct “historic injustices” against the continent.

“It is outrageous… that the continent of Africa has no permanent seat on the Security Council,” he said.

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Solar Energy

Major Qatari plant to double solar capacity by 2030: minister

Published

5 days ago

September 2, 2024

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Major Qatari plant to double solar capacity by 2030: minister

by AFP Staff Writers

Doha (AFP) Sept 1, 2024

A large new solar plant planned in Qatar will double the Gulf emirate’s previously projected renewable energy capacity by 2030, Qatari Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi announced on Sunday.

The photovoltaic farm, which will be built in the Dukhan area some 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of the capital Doha, will increase the gas-rich state’s solar production capacity to four gigawatts by the end of the decade, Kaabi said.

The plant “that will be established in Dukhan area will produce 2,000 megawatts, which is twice more than the capacity of Qatar’s production of solar energy of the current projects,” the minister, who is also chief executive of state-owned QatarEnergy, said.

In October 2022, Qatar inaugurated its first large-scale solar farm at al-Kharsaah, west of Doha. The emirate announced in August of the same year another solar project with two plants at Ras Laffan in the north.

Through the combined projects, including at Dukhan, Qatar would achieve “4,000 megawatts of clean energy by 2030”, Kaabi said.

This will “constitute 30 percent of the total production of energy of the state of Qatar” with a yearly reduction of “4.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions,” he added.

Kaabi said the existing projects should produce 1.7 gigawatts of energy “in first quarter of next year, or early next year”.

The energy minister also announced plans to more than double Qatar’s urea production making the country the largest producer of the fertiliser in the world by the end of the decade.

He said Qatar would “maximise the production of chemical fertilisers” through “a complex with global standards” which would “increase our production capacity from 6 million tonnes annually to more than 12.4 million tonnes annually”.

Qatar is one of the world’s top liquefied natural gas producers alongside the United States, Australia and Russia. Natural gas is a major ingredient in urea manufacturing.

In February, Qatar announced plans to expand its output from its North Field project, saying it will boost capacity to 142 million tonnes per year before 2030.

Over the past year, Qatar has inked a series of long-term LNG deals with France’s Total, Britain’s Shell, India’s Petronet, China’s Sinopec and Italy’s Eni among others.

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QatarEnergy

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