Tag: Solar Thermal

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgKgc_Oo1fI]As part of my series of basic videos for newcomers on the main renewable energy technologies, I lay out the basic forms of clean energy and say a few words about photovoltaics, solar thermal (aka concentrated solar power or …

The Basic Renewable Energy Technologies Read More »

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I just received this terse question from a reader: “What’s the ROI (return on investment) on solar thermal?” I responded, hoping to prompt more discussion: “That’s an interesting but impossible question to answer. What is the nature of your interest …

What’s the Return on Investment on Solar Thermal? Read More »

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23ZbWSSBoIE] Here’s a few minutes of video on a business plan I really love. It’s a breakthrough in concentrated solar power, or CSP, aka solar thermal energy, made by a guy I’ve met and come to know and trust. …

Concentrated Solar Power — Hot Clean Energy Plan Read More »

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I was disappointed to learn that the gigawatt solar project in Blythe, CA decided to switch from CSP to PV. The issue, at least on the surface, is “bankability,” i.e., maturity of the technology, along with the obvious fact that …

Gigawatt Solar Project Switches from CSP to PV Read More »

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I frequently extol the virtues of CSP (concentrated solar power), aka solar thermal.  For those looking for a good introduction with images that illustrate the concept, the link above is a solid video on the subject.

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I’m at a loss to understand something, and I’m wondering if I could appeal to readers to help explain it. Last year, Areva, the French energy giant, best known (at least in the US) as a nuclear energy company, bought …

Is Areva Really Involved in Solar? We Can Live With the Truth Either Way. Read More »

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My drive up to the Bay Area yesterday included a meeting with Ahura Energy CEO Fareed Sfard in the quaint town of Saratoga.  But what once was originally a sleepy stagecoach stop is now the home to a company that …

Ahura Energy Claims Breakthrough in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Read More »

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Oakland, CA-based BrightSource will soon be raising $250 million in an IPO to complete a 393-megawatt solar thermal project in the Mojave Desert. The project is under attack, however, as the land involved in the deal is home to the …

BrightSource’s Solar Thermal Plant and the Desert Tortoise Read More »

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I had a wonderful chance encounter the other day with Melinda Keller, a professor of engineering at California Polytechnic at the Santa Barbara Summit on Energy Efficiency. It seems that she specializes in CSP (concentrated solar power) – and is …

Concentrated Solar Power – A Bit of Intrigue at the Santa Barbara Summit on Energy Efficiency Read More »

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY4p4x34Br4] In this segment of the 2GreenEnergy Video Report, I cover concentrated solar power (CSP), aka solar thermal. It appears that one of our clients has made a real breakthrough in lowering costs and improving efficiencies.

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