Blog Archives

Concentrated Solar Power, Can Play “Significant” Role in California

According to a study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), concentrated solar power (CSP, aka solar thermal) can make a “significant contribution” to California’s grid-mix, and play a role in the state’s quest to meet its renewable portfolio

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Posted in Solar Thermal

Discussing Solar Thermal (aka Concentrated Solar Power, or CSP) in Quaint Los Olivos, CA

On Sunday afternoons, I like to take a decent hike, say 7 or 8 miles, and wind up at a nice place where I can get a beer, shake a few hands, and discuss what’s going on in the world. 

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Posted in Solar Thermal

Distributed Generation and the Intermittency of Renewable Energy

When we generate energy from renewable sources, we normally contemplate putting it on the grid.  But then the issue arises: What about intermittency, and the need to back it up with dispatchable sources?  People often forget that distributed generation does

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Posted in Solar Thermal

Concentrated Solar Power Gaining Ground in the Middle East

I check out several sources for the global energy news every morning, including one, aptly titled, The Global Energy Report, and I’m always gratified to see concentrated solar power (CSP) making its way to the front of the conversation.  This

Posted in Solar Thermal

Solar Thermal Takes Step Back in Spain

I don’t track every political decision around the world with respect to renewables, but here’s an event that I guess I should have seen coming: the reduction in beneficial feed-in tariffs for concentrated solar power (CSP, aka solar thermal) coming

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Posted in Solar Thermal

Bringing Concentrated Solar Power to Africa

Here’s an article that suggests that concentrated solar power (aka solar thermal) may be on its way to greatness in Africa, and discusses the path by which CSP can achieve that stature.  In terms of renewables generally, the author points

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Posted in Solar Thermal

Large CSP Plant Opens in Abu Dhabi

Here’s a short video that presents a shiny new CSP (concentrated solar power, aka solar thermal) plant in Abu Dhabi. This 100 MW installation cost $600 million, not exactly cheap.  But CSP is a relatively new concept that hasn’t had

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Posted in Solar Thermal

Strange Article on Solar Thermal and Energy Storage

I keep an eye out for articles like this that talk about concentrated solar power (CSP –aka solar thermal) and the use of energy storage to make that power dispatchable.  Normally, they contemplate molten salt, as the cost of storing

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Posted in Solar Thermal

From Guest Blogger James Vasanth: How to Save Money on Heating your Home

There’s good news and bad news if you’re a homeowner who’s bracing yourself for the annual rise in winter heating costs: The bill won’t hurt more this year, but it won’t hurt much less. The Energy Information Administration forecasts that

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Posted in Solar Thermal

"CSP Today" Offers Great Coverage of Concentrated Solar Power

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, If I weren’t covering renewables, I’d feel like a louse. Or perhaps…. About the lack of clean energy I continue to grouse.   Be this as it may…. I look

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Posted in Solar Thermal
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