How can carbon dioxide make green energy cheaper?
Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants use the heat of the Sun’s rays to boil water and drive a steam turbine. Replacing the water with a supercritical carbon dioxide fluid allows operators to use a smaller, simpler turbine. But the high ambient temperatures of the desert environments limit how efficiently it can turn heat into electricity. The EU-funded SCARABEUS project identified chemicals that could be blended with the carbon dioxide fluid to raise its condensation point, allowing it to work in hot environments. The project has now been featured in the CORDIS series of explanatory videos titled ‘Make the connection with EU science’. By allowing a more efficient thermal cycle, SCARABEUS was able to reduce the cost of the electricity generated. “In Seville, a CSP plant demonstrated a levelised cost of electricity lower than EUR 90 per MWh, a significant improvement compared to the EUR 120 per MWh associated with commercial technologies,” notes project coordinator Giampaolo Manzolini. The work will help make CSP plants a more practical option for powering the grid, accelerating the green transition. ‘Make the connection with EU science’ is a series of explanatory videos focusing on the scientific content and exploitation aspects of EU research projects.
Keywords
SCARABEUS, CSP, concentrated solar power, power cycle, high temperatures, working fluid, supercritical carbon dioxide