Solar & Thermal Systems, Inc. (S&T) is dedicated to extracting the maximum value of the energy of the sun. The approach chosen is known as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). Briefly a CSP system collects the sunlight falling on a large area capturing that sunlight as heat. The heat is converted to electricity by the system. Electricity is the preferred product because it is a high-value form of energy and has a ready market. The electricity produced by the system is connected to the local electrical infrastructure, e.g the customer's building wiring, or directly to the local power lines.
When installed on a building, the consumer can realize the maximum value as an avoided cost of purchased power. If the amount of electricity exceeds the amount consumed the surplus is "Net-Metered" back to the local utility for cash. Customers will quickly realize that adding a S&T system is not an expense to be minimized, but a revenue opportunity to be maximized.
The S&T CSP system consists of two major subsystems:
The first part is referred to as the Solar Array. The Solar Array occupies the area known as the Solar Field. The Solar Field and Solar Array are the visible portion of the system. As a general rule the Solar Array, which consists of the actual panels only cover a portion of the Solar Field. Panels are spaced out to provide room for the panels to track the sun. This allows the S&T system to operate at full capacity for more hours per day. The size of the Solar Array determines the capacity of the system, it can cover just a portion of a rooftop or it can extend many thousands of feet on a side. S&T panels are much larger than common photovoltaic (PV) panels, and cost much less to manufacture, transport, and install. The S&T Solar Field is the 1st half of the value-performance equation.
The second part is referred to as the Power Block. The Power Block consists of one or more Heat Engines, Generators, Condensers, and the Control Intelligence, plus the interconnection to the local utility. The S&T Power Block is build upon a standardized engine block that covers a wide range of Solar Array sizes. Each engine is coupled to a generator that is appropriately sized to the specifications of the Solar Array. Larger systems are accommodated by incrementally adding engine/generator sets (Genset) to the Power Block up to the rating of the Solar Array. Rather than one large Genset that is either running or shutdown, and which would exhibit poor performance at turn-down, the S&T Power Block can efficiently ramp up the power from 0 to 100%, and even provide for maintenance while operating. The modular S&T Power Block is the 2nd half of the value-performance equation.
For decades the notion that Solar Energy is "Free" has been an anathema to the industry. A solar power plant, just like a fossil fuel or nuclear plant can only produce a finite amount of energy during its operational lifetime. The total cost of the energy each plant produces consists of the capital cost of the power plant, plus the cost of capital, taxes, O&M, and a slew of other line items. There is however one major difference. The cost of the fuel over the life of the plant usually dwarfs the capital cost of the plant, unless the 'fuel' is sunlight, or wind, or water.
There are other differences as well. A solar power plant can only generate when the sun shines, while a fueled installation can operate with >90% up-time. However, the fueled plant is constantly burning money, as determined by the cost of the fuel, whereas the sunshine is in this sense free.
Although the capital cost of a S&T power plant is greater than the up-front cost of a similar fueled plant, the lack of ongoing fuel expense and the inevitable increases, suggests that in a finite number of years the total cost of a S&T installation will be less than its fueled counterpart. And that means the cost of the energy produced will be lower as well. In fact, the longer a S&T system operates the lower the incremental cost of the next kWH becomes, while the cost of the fueled counterpart will forever increase.
The equation [eq1] looks like this for solar power:
$ / kWHr = Capital Cost of System in Dollars / Energy Produced during Economic Lifetime + O&M(1)
The equation [eq2] for a fueled system includes includes [eq1] same with the added term:
$ / kWHr = [eq1] + Cost per Unit of Fuel * Energy Produced during Economic Lifetime + O&M(2)
It goes without saying that O&M(2) is greater than O&M(1). The diligent reader may plot the two equations, but will realize that the lines will invariably cross at some time in the future. S&T has devoted considerable effort to make the lines cross in as few years as practical.
Lower total cost over time, no fuel emissions, no pollution, no water use, no environmental toxins, lower electric bills, revenue from Renewable Energy Credits, domestically produced, high salvage value, Connecticut jobs...
And that is why we say: The Light is Green!
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