Sunlight and Mirrors Still Seen as Part of Australia’s Future Power Mix
- Recent project collapse cast doubt on solar thermal’s future
- Vast Solar seeks to improve the technology, reduce risks
This article is for subscribers only.
An Australian energy startup says it has found a solution to the problem that has dogged some thermal solar technology projects, removing instability in the process of storing the generated electricity.
Vast Solar’s technology differs from rivals because it uses liquid sodium as a heat transfer agent, improving control of the sunlight bouncing off specialized mirrors, according to Chief Executive Officer Craig Wood. The mirrors focus the light on liquid sodium receivers placed on the top of a tower, with the sodium then used to transfer heat to molten salt storage tanks. Other projects typically also use molten salt as the transfer agent.