A Test Facility for Expansion Machines for Small-Scale CSP and Solar Polygeneration
Abstract
The result of a study carried out by Fraunhofer ISE (MEDIFRES) was that solar thermal power plants in the range of 50 kWel to 1 MWel can be economically viable in countries with high irradiation potential. Especially the combined use of solar heat, cold and electricity could enhance the economics. Industrial sites in remote areas today mostly cover their energy demand by diesel generators and fossil burners. Due to the high prices, substituting fossil fuels with solar polygeneration systems could be economically viable in the near future, even without government incentives. Also small and medium sized enterprises, not having the resources to build large power plants, could implement such systems. Thus smaller solar thermal power plants could lead to a significant increase of solar usage in energy production.