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Two large contracts for Stirling Solar Dish technology have been approved, and Stirling Energy Systems (SES) is planning to build systems capable of delivering over 800MW during the next four years to satisfy the contracts. The contracts allow for a capacity of up to 1750MW. This is the amount of power that a large nuclear power plant generates. The power will be generated using arrays of Stirling Solar Dishes. A 25kW version of a Stirling Solar Dish has been operating for over 17 years. This is a mature technology that is being deployed now. At 25kW perl dish, that translates to between 32,000 and 70,000 dishes will be needed for the two contracts. What is a Stirling Solar Dish? Well, it is just a dish of mirrors that focuses the sun onto the face of a Stirling engine:
SolarPower.org
A Stirling engine takes differentials in heat to operate an engine in a closed system. The gas in the SES Stirling Engine is hydrogen. There are no emmissions.
For a more detailed description of the operation of a Stirling engine, see The Stirling Engine FAQ.
For information on the actual Stirling engine used in Stirling Dish systems, see SOLO Stirling 161.
Here is a picture of an older Stirling engine and a mirror array:
Picture by Bill Timmerman and US Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Another view:
Picture by Warren Gretz and US Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Here you can see the glare on the face of a 25kW Stirling solar receiver (engine):
Stirling Energy Systems
A 25 kW Dish Stirling system tucked in for the night:
Stirling Energy Systems
Making some adjustments:
(Photo by Randy Montoya)
For more information, see the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory website , Huge Solar Plants Bloom in Desert[Wired.com], and the Stirling Energy Systems website.
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