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The Energy Department will award a total of $62 million to 13 projects focusing on research and development and demonstration of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems able to produce low-cost electricity. CSP technologies concentrate solar energy and collect it as heat, which can then drive an engine or turbine to produce power. The plants can include low-cost energy storage to ensure that power is available even when the sun isn't shining. The Smart Grid strategy here is to both generate clean technology jobs and expand the market for utility-scale solar power. The five-year grants will fund efforts to improve CSP component and system designs with the goal of extending operation to roughly 18 hours a day.
Quick Take: Solar obviously has a lead role in our quest for a clean, secure energy economy. The combination of photovoltaic and CSP technologies looks like a practical approach to making the most of one of our renewable energy resources — if the accompanying storage for CSP systems is cost-effective.
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