Can solar energy be stored as chemical energy?

The solar energy from the solar field can be potentially stored as chemical energy, through the endothermic fuel oxidation reaction in a chemical process. Thermochemical systems commonly require higher temperatures to initiate the energy storage, but conversely provide higher temperatures on the release of that energy.

Which chemical process is most relevant for chemical energy storage in CSP?

The most relevant chemical processes for chemical energy storage in CSP are reactions metal oxide/metal and ammonia . Within the chemical looping process, calcium looping presents the highest potential for energy storage (4400 MJ m −3), operating temperature (800 °C−900 °C) and lowest net efficiency penalty (5%–8% points) .

What is concentrated solar power?

Concentrated solar power aims to increase the temperature of the reactor to allow to work together with more efficient power cycles. To that end, chemical reaction simplifies considerably the concept and construction of the reactor given that the metal oxide is solid and floats to the top of the metal .

What is thermal energy storage?

Thermal energy storage provides a workable solution to the reduced or curtailed production when sun sets or is blocked by clouds (as in PV systems). The solar energy can be stored for hours or even days and the heat exchanged before being used to generate electricity .

How much energy can a CSP plant store?

The newer CSP plants have significant storage capacity from 5 to 8.5 h using 2 tank-indirect storage configurations. Nevertheless, the fact that more than half of the plants do not allow for energy storage is a sign of a need to develop and integrate energy storage systems for this CSP configuration. 4.2. Dish/engine parabolic systems

What are the advantages of thermal energy storage utilizing chemical reactions?

The technology of thermal energy storage utilizing the heat of chemical reactions has the possibility to undertake higher energy efficient processes than other thermal energy storage technologies. The main advantage of using chemical reactions as storage systems is the potentially high energy density.