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Solar Technology Will Be Deployed at Fossil Fuel Plants

Utilities companies will try to combine the two technologies

Nov 12, 2008 11:27 GMT  ·  By
Solar installations such as this one could increase productivity in regular power plants, and decrease emission levels as well
   Solar installations such as this one could increase productivity in regular power plants, and decrease emission levels as well

Increasing carbon emissions from power plants relying on fossil fuels for generating electrical current have prompted utilities companies to try and combine both polluting and clean energy techniques in a single facility. As a result, the Electric Power Research Institute will outfit two natural gas-powered plants in Arizona and Nevada with solar thermal generating capabilities, in an attempt to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions and production costs.

 

Dynegy Inc and NV Energy are the two companies that will host the test "synergy" between fossil fuels and renewable power sources. The goal of the experiment is to see whether adding Steam produced by sunlight to the established process of burning natural gas will increase productivity and decrease pollution. Technically, there is no reason why this should not work, as long as the fittings hold.

 

Adding such solar capabilities to coal-powered power plants is also under discussion, pending the results of the current experiment. According to the EPRI, there is no way that adding solar panels to the plants will decrease yield. The difficulty of this trial period will be to calculate exactly how much energy each component produces, and if the ensemble, as a whole, is feasible.

 

An untold stake in this endeavor is to see if retro-fitting fossil-fuel-powered facilities with renewable energy generators will increase their contribution to the grid to an extent that will allow for the dismissal of plans to build other coal- or gas-powered plants. This would mean an even further decrease in emissions worldwide, if this idea spreads.

 

Southern Company, Progress Energy Inc and Salt River Project are also supporting this undertaking financially, as the stake for all those involved are pretty high. Coal, oil and natural gases are sure to be replaced by renewable energy completely, one day, but, as recent economic events showed, there is little reason to believe that this will happen anytime soon. In the meantime, combining the two proves to be the best course of action.