CSIRO builds large solar tower
CSIRO, the national science agency of Australia, is building the largest solar-power tower of its type in the world at the National Solar Energy Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales.
The site will consist of around 450 mirrors (heliostats) that will direct solar heat onto a 30m-high tower to produce super-heated compressed air for a Brayton Cycle turbine.
‘The new technology will pave the way for the solar power of the future – solar power that only requires the sun and air to create electricity,’ said Dr Alex Wonhas, director of CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship.
‘Most solar thermal power stations require water to operate a steam turbine to produce electricity,’ added Wonhas. ’Our Brayton Cycle technology does not need water. This technology is therefore ideally suited to many parts of Australia that only receive minimal rainfall.’
CSIRO received $5m (£3.3m) in funding from the Australian Solar Institute (ASI) – an Australian government initiative – to build the field and conduct research over two years.
The site for the solar tower will cover an area of 4,000m2 and will be capable of operating at temperatures higher than 900ºC.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
New IET report examines grid transmission costs
In the rural East Midlands, the countryside is criss-crossed with power lines, due to the legacy of Coal Fired Power Stations built every few miles...