Page 267 - Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design
P. 267

INNOVATIONS IN PASSIVE SOLAR POWER TECHNOLOGY  243





















                        Figure 6.14  Heliostat reflecting mirrors of an eSolar power plant. Courtesy
                        of IdeaLab.


                         The plant is based on mass-manufactured components and is designed for rapid
                       field installation in highly modular fashion and provides unlimited scalability. Solar
                       power electric plant capacities range from 46 MW to more than 500 MW.
                         A small mass-manufactured heliostat is a patented dual-port solar thermal reflector
                       that forms the building block of the eSolar system. The reflector referred to as a heliostat
                       stick and is designed to be field installed with minimal skilled labor. The low wind
                       profile of the design allows fields of heliostats to be installed rapidly. Each eSolar
                       thermal unit mounted atop poles receives solar energy from field reflector mirrors
                       through north- and south-facing dual ports.
                         A 46-MWt eSolar power unit consists of 16 towers, a turbine generator set, and a
                       steam condenser. This 46-MW power unit occupies 160 acres of land. Figure 6.14
                       shows the heliostat reflecting mirrors of an eSolar power plant.
   262   263   264   265   266   267   268   269   270   271   272