High Power Solar Thermal Power Plants

Brandon Short and Raul Doyle

Agenda
1. Main Goal
2. How it makes a difference

3.How it works
4. Technological hindrances

5. Political/Economic hindrances
6. Negative environmental impact

Main Goal of Solar Thermal energy

The hopes for solar thermal energy is to provide a energy efficient, cleaner, and safer environment. With more research, the results of using solar thermal energy will undoubtedly make the world a cleaner and safer place.

Potential in making a difference

The overall potential that Solar Thermal energy is huge due to the massive amount of sunlight the earth receives everyday. Despite the fact that it does not produce as much energy as fossil fuels, the Earth is most likely never going to run out of sunlight. It could make a huge difference in the world if enough investment of its technologies were done

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Technological Difficulties
Some of the technological problems that would disrupt the implementation of Solar Thermal power are the ability of certain liquids to accommodate thermal storage. Water can cause corrosion in the system. Molten salts and oils break down at high temperatures. Until a better liquid is found it will be limited by those problems.

Political Difficulties
The fact that most of the energy market is controlled by large international corporations that rely heavily on fossil fuels, they would snuff out any competition just by buying them and removing the technology. Also these new technologies are expensive and less common than fossil fuel power. Politically the new technology has a small chance to survive as well because the large companies may lobby to politicians to kill any bills that would help this new technology

Negative Environmental Impact

For the most part, solar thermal energy is a very efficient source of energy and does not consist of a high negative environmental impact. The one negative impact that was found was how much land solar panels can take up especially if you want to use solar energy to its fullest potential.

Bibliography
http://hayatandassociates.com/inner/product/Application%20to

%20Power%20Plant1.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_thermal_energy http://www.solarpaces.org/Library/docs/EUREC-Position_Paper_STPP.pdf http://www.solar-thermal.com/solar-thermal.pdf http://www.altenergystocks.com/archives/solar/solar_thermal/