Parametric Simulation and Economic Estimation of Thermal Energy Storage in Solar Power Tower

Abstract

The alternative for fossil fuel generated energy is energy from solar plants. A solar power tower system, which is a type of concentrating solar power (CSP), is simulated with the SAM (System Advisor Model) to help in decision-making on whether or not to include a storage system in it. Addition of thermal storage in a solar power tower system brings sustainability and dispatch ability of the power produced. Since solar power tower systems require high investment costs to be established, the percentage contribution of Thermal energy Storage (TES) on the installation costs are found. In this paper, different locations are chosen from India, Germany and Mediterranean countries to simulate a solar power plant of 100 MWe capacities. Initially, the excel sheet with pre-built functions of SAM are custom modified. Then the parameters related to the direct costs and installation costs are determined, which are then used as input in the SAM software to do a parametric simulation.The dependence of the following are estimated with the help of SAM and customizing the SAM excel model:•Dependence of turbine gross output on total installed costs•Dependence of thermal energy storage hours of two tank storage system on total installed costs•Dependence of thermal energy storage hours of latent heat storage on total installed costs