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> Photovoltaics have largely left these technologies in the dust How so? CSP tech continues to advance on multiple levels and usage continues to grow globally
by cinquemb 5y ago
> Photovoltaics have largely left these technologies in the dust
How so? CSP tech continues to advance on multiple levels and usage continues to grow globally at grid scale with advances with tech in the solar field, concentrator design [1] and molten salt storage [2].
PV is not currently competitive at grid scale on its own (I've seen it being used more recently in tandem with CSP, but more like CSP providing most [gt 70%] of the MW), because storage costs are joke (wrt underlying materials for batteries and recyclability[3][4]) compared to molten salt (I'm totally ignoring environmental concerns).
I really think PV has more of an edge in small consumer market that wants/needs no storage at all.
[1] https://www.solarpaces.org/beam-down-demos-first-direct-solar-storage-at-1-2-mwh-scale/ https://www.solarpaces.org/beam-down-demos-first-direct-sola...
[2] https://www.solarpaces.org/for-100-renewables-doe-speeds-up-storage-policy/ https://www.solarpaces.org/for-100-renewables-doe-speeds-up-...
[3] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25383534 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25383534
[4] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25403694 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25403694