Water-free solar plant developed

For where rainfall is scarce

While vast areas of Africa benefit from large amounts of sunlight, they also, as a result, have dry, arid areas. As such, Australia's CSIRO and Japan's Mitsubishi (MHI) are working on developing a solar thermal power plant that uses compressed hot air instead of steam to drive a turbine and generate power.

Instead, by heating air in a vessel to around 1000 degrees Celsius and allowing it to expand through the turbine, power is generated. As a result though, the operating temperature is around 600 degrees Celsius higher than the traditional ‘steam' solar plants.

For areas, such as Africa's Maghreb region, where rainfall is incredibly scarce, the new plant would be able to develop up to 10MW of power for local communities.

The deal between CSIRO and Mitsubishi has seen the Australian firm lend research assistance and facilities to the company in return for a share of royalties and licensing fees when the technology is commercialized.

Test models

While the concept is being tested in Australia, it has already been touted as a possible game-changer for Africa.

Currently, CSIRO is constructing a test field of 450 reflectors at its Newcastle where it will also be tested with one of MHI's turbines, connected to the 30m-tall tower. By 2013, the two organizations hope to have a demonstration plant of between 1 MW and 2.5 MW constructed. By 2014 the JV hopes to have a full-scale 10 MW plant operating and to begin commercialization.

While costs aren't confirmed, initial development reports have the figure at $26 million, of which CSIRO will contribute one-third. CSIRO received $5 million from the federal government's Australian Solar Institute to build the test field and conduct research over two years.

One thing is certain, if the project is a success rainfall and steam production will no longer stand in the way of many regions benefiting from solar power.

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