PrintSolar thermal energy conversion systems at the utility scale have been developed for over a century using basic thermal principles, concentration systems, and mechanical engineering practices for heat and power. The article referenced below discusses some aspects for and some against the recent progress at the Ivanpah solar thermal electricity generation plant in the Mojave Desert, California, USA. While we are not seeing a mass conversion of our electricity generation infrastructure to solar thermal generation yet, the industry is experiencing significant growth.
Required Reading
Read the Ivanpah-NYTimes-Feb2014.pdf article. Registered students can access the article located in the Lesson 1 Module in Canvas.
Deliverable - Lesson 1 Discussion
Summarize the author’s perspective(s) and provide any comments, corrections, or insights into the content of the article in your post. Please include references to support your assertions. Suggested length: 200-300 words. Next, provide a comment/response to two other posts.
Initial post to the Lesson 1 Discussion is due by Sunday night (11:55 p.m. your local time), and replies to others are due by Wednesday night (11:55 p.m. your local time).
Please see the Calendar in Canvas for specific due dates.