Develop a hybrid power plant to save fuel and reduce emissions

Researchers at Israel's Tel Aviv University are developing a hybrid type of hybrid power plant that combines renewable energy (solar thermal energy) with traditional fossil fuels. . Renovation of existing power plants into hybrid power plants will reduce 25-50% (fuel as well as associated emissions).

At present, solar thermal technology is widely used in large scale power plants in Spain.

In a solar thermal plant, sunlight is absorbed to create high-pressure steam (400-500 ° C), to rotate turbines.

However, this is a complex and expensive technology. Materials include: pipes made of expensive metals designed to handle high pressure and temperature conditions, as well as large mirrors needed for harvesting and concentration. Sunlight, making solar thermal technology become too expensive to be deployed extensively.

To overcome this shortcoming, researchers led by Professor Kribus at Israel's Tel Aviv University have developed alternative technology, called a gas turbine steam turbine.

"We incorporate gas turbines, working on hot air and water vapor (generated from solar energy)," Kribus explained. "We still need to burn fuel to warm the air, but we need to add steam from low temperature solar at around 200ºC."

Hybrid technology is not only effective in producing energy, but it also helps to reduce pressure and temperature: it allows the use of part of the solar thermal technology , while still using Popular metals and low-cost solar harvest.

Researchers are working with a university in India to develop this method at a more granular level, and are seeking partnerships with companies to bring hybrid technology into use. in practice.