Techno-Economic Analysis of a Concentrating Solar Power Plant Using Redox-Active Metal Oxides as Heat Transfer Fluid and Storage Media

Abstract

We present results for a one-dimensional quasi-steady-state thermodynamic model developed for a 111.7 MWe concentrating solar power (CSP) system using a redox-active metal oxide as the heat storage media and heat transfer agent integrated with a combined cycle air Brayton power block. In the energy charging and discharging processes, the metal oxide CaAl0.2Mn0.8O2.9-δ (CAM28) undergoes a reversible, high temperature redox cycle including an endothermic oxygen-releasing reaction and exothermic oxygen-incorporation reaction. Concentrated solar radiation heats the redox-active oxide particles under partial vacuum to drive the reduction extent deeper for increased energy density at a fixed temperature, thereby increasing storage capacity while limiting the required on sun temperature. Direct counter-current contact of the reduced particles with compressed air from the Brayton compressor releases stored chemical and sensible energy, heating the air to 1,200°C at the turbine inlet while cooling and reoxidizing the particles. The cool oxidized particles recirculate through the solar receiver subsystem for another cycle of heating and reduction (oxygen release). We applied the techno-economic model to 1) size components, 2) examine intraday operation with varying solar insolation, 3) estimate annual performance characteristics over a simulated year, 4) estimate the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), and 5) perform sensitivity analyses to evaluate factors that affect performance and cost. Simulations use hourly solar radiation data from Barstow, California to assess the performance of a 111.7 MWe system with solar multiples (SMs) varying from 1.2 to 2.4 and storage capacities of 6–14 h. The baseline system with 6 h storage and SM of 1.8 has a capacity factor of 54.2%, an increase from 32.3% capacity factor with no storage, and an average annual energy efficiency of 20.6%. Calculations show a system with an output of 710 GWhe net electricity per year, 12 h storage, and SM of 2.4 to have an installed cost of $329 million, and an LCOE of 5.98 ¢/kWhe. This value meets the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot 2020 target of 6.0 ¢/kWhe (U. S Department of Energy, 2012), but falls just shy of the 5.0 ¢/kWhe 2030 CSP target for dispatchable electricity (U. S Department of Energy, 2017). The cost and performance results are minimally sensitive to most design parameters. However, a one-point change in the weighted annual cost of capital from 8 to 7% (better understood as a 12.5% change) translates directly to an 11% decrease (0.66 ¢/kWhe) in the LCOE.

Key technologies for hybrid energy system planning and operation

“…Eng. 491, 353-363. doi:10.13336/j.1003-6520.hve.20211326 Zhang, D., Yun, Y., Wang, X., He, J., and Dong, H. (2021). Economic dispatch of integrated electricity-heat-gas energy system considering generalized energy storage and concentrating solar power plant.…”

“…Zhao et al (2019) analyzed the influences of wind power uncertainty on optimal dispatch and put forward a stochastic model for the combination of the CSP stations and wind farms according to the simulation results. In the work of Zhang G. et al (2021), CSP stations were introduced as cogenerated units and a multi-dispatch method for the RIES was proposed. The results show that the participation of CSP stations can reduce operating costs.…”

A Review of Oxygen Carrier Materials and Related Thermochemical Redox Processes for Concentrating Solar Thermal Applications

“…The present status and future prospects of solar thermochemical fuels show potential commercial viability in the near future [23,24]. Techno-economic studies and lifecycle analyses of large-scale thermochemical plants have also confirmed the environmental benefits and favorable cost prospects of such solar technologies [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]. cations, including: (i) solar thermochemical fuel generation from water/CO2-splitting redox processes, (ii) ammonia synthesis based on chemical looping cycles, (iii) solar thermochemical energy storage for off-sun continuous processing, and (iv) thermochemical air separation/oxygen pumping for gas purification, while focusing on the latest advances in the research field of redox materials and related solar thermochemical processes.…”

Graph neural network modeling of vacancy formation enthalpy for materials discovery and its application in solar thermochemical water splitting

“…As a specific use case, we focus on the discovery of new solar thermochemical (STCH) water splitting oxides, widely considered a promising route for renewable hydrogen production. [37][38][39] DFT investigations play a critical role in understanding these materials and helping to guide experiments, [40][41][42][43][44] but can only be accomplished on a limited scale. Due to the complexity of the associated vacancy defect calculations using DFT, approximately one year's work was required to build our training database (⇠ 200 host oxide compounds consisting of ⇠1500 unique defects).…”