Most of these plants do not have a thermal storage system for maintaining the power block performance at nominal conditions during long non-insolation periods. Because of that, a proper solar field size, with respect to the electric nominal power, is a fundamental choice.
Solar multiple (SM) and thermal storage capacity are two key design parameters for revealing the performance of direct steam generation (DSG) solar power tower plant. In the case of settled land area, SM and thermal storage capacity can be optimized to obtain the minimum levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) by adjusting the power generation output.
Solar multiple is defined as the ratio between the thermal power produced by the solar field at the design point and the thermal power required by the power block at nominal conditions: (1) SM design_point = Q ˙ th,solar_field Q ˙ th,power_block design_point
Daily thermal power production for different solar field multiples. As it will be seen in Section 2, the solar thermal plant configurations selected will have solar multiple ranges from 1 to 1.5.
This review highlights the latest advancements in thermal energy storage systems for renewable energy, examining key technological breakthroughs in phase change materials (PCMs), sensible thermal storage, and hybrid storage systems. Practical applications in managing solar and wind energy in residential and industrial settings are analyzed.
In thermal energy storage systems, PCMs are essential for storing energy during high renewable energy generation periods, such as solar and wind. This energy storage capability allows for more efficient supply and demand management, enhancing grid stability and supporting the integration of renewable energy sources .