- Definition and Types of Energy
- Myths And Misconceptions About Energy
- The Relationship Between Energy and Environment
- Climate Change and Carbon Footprint
- Greenhouse Gas Effect
- The Role of Human-Induced Greenhouse Gases and Energy Consumption
- Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
- Renewable Energy Sources and Future Perspectives
- Play and Learn
- Solar Energy Conversions
- Solar Energy Worldwide
- Solar Energy in Partner Countries
- Positive and Negative Impacts
- Technologies for Harnessing Solar Energy
- Solar thermal energy technologies and applications
- Electricity Generation Methods
- Passive Heating and Cooling of Residences with the Sun
- Concentrator solar power (CSP) systems and electricity generation
- Systems and applications that generate electricity directly from solar rays
- Photovoltaic cells and panels
- Domestic PV Systems
- Off-Grid PV Systems
- Hybrid Connected Systems
- Materials Used in PV Cells
- Play and Learn
Concentrator solar power systems (CSP) and electricity generation
It is possible to generate electricity from solar energy by thermal methods thanks to concentrator systems. These systems enable high temperatures to be reached by concentrating the sun's rays at a certain point or line. Concentrator thermal systems can be linear or point-type and generate electricity using steam turbines with the Rankine cycle and gas turbines with the Stirling or Brayton cycle. The heat obtained from the sun is transferred to the power generation system either directly by steam generation or through substances such as hot oil and molten salt. Since temperatures between 200°C and 1500°C can be achieved with these systems, it is possible to generate electricity using thermodynamic power cycles. Since nuclear and thermal power plants are also based on similar principles today, there is extensive experience in the application of CSP systems. In addition, CSP systems can be supported by fossil fuels such as natural gas or solid fuels when sunlight is insufficient. An important advantage of CSP systems is that they can store solar energy in the form of heat. This feature, unlike PV (photovoltaic) systems, offers the opportunity to make the energy supply uninterrupted. For this reason, CSP systems are also called "Solar Thermal Power Plants".
In terms of electricity production, the following classification can be made for concentrating systems:
- Linear Concentrators
- Point Concentrators