BrightSource Energy - Solar Thermal Energy System

At the heart of BrightSource’s proprietary solar thermal system is next-generation solar field design, optimization software and a control system that enable the creation of high pressure, high temperature steam. The steam can then be integrated with conventional power plant components for electricity generation or for use in industrial process applications, such as thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Benefits of BrightSource’s solar thermal system include:

• Optimized solar field design to match utility peak generation demand requirements
• More reliable and consistent power output than intermittent renewable resources such as photovoltaic (PV) solar and wind
• Increased production capability through thermal energy storage and hybridization with fossil fuels
• Application for industrial purposes, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR)

BrightSource’s system uses proprietary software to control thousands of tracking mirrors, known as heliostats, to directly concentrate sunlight onto a boiler filled with water that sits atop a tower. When the sunlight hits the boiler, the water inside is heated and creates high temperature steam. Once produced, the steam is used either in a conventional turbine to produce electricity or in industrial process applications, such as thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

By integrating conventional power block components, such as turbines, with our proprietary technology and next-generation solar field design, projects using our systems are able to deliver cost-competitive, reliable and clean power when needed most. In addition, by integrating our technology with natural gas or other fossil fuels through a process referred to as hybridization, projects using our systems are able to further increase output and reliability.

Together with energy storage, BrightSource extends production, capacity – and the length of the day.

Our solar plants, integrated with thermal energy storage, effectively extend electricity production into later parts of the day and after sundown, when it is valued most by utilities and other power producers. This capability reduces the cost of renewable power, by increasing a plant’s capacity factor – the amount of energy produced in a given day - to offer higher asset utilization. It provides utilities with greater operational flexibility to shape production and account for the variable nature of other intermittent resources. Additionally, it offers utilities and grid operators verifiable value in the form of balancing and shaping capabilities and ancillary services.

Integrating a proprietary technology with conventional components to deliver highly reliable, renewable power. 

Proprietary Technology

• Solar Receiver/Boiler
  Concentrated sunlight converts water in a boiler to high-temperature steam.                 
• Heliostats
  Software-controlled field of mirrors concentrate sunlight on a boiler mounted on a central tower.
• Optimization/Control Software
  Optimization software and solar field integrated control system manage heliostat positioning to optimize concentrated sunlight on the boiler.

Conventional Components

• Turbine
  Steams powers a turbine to produce electricity and is then converted back to water through an air-cooled condenser.
• Air-cooled condenser
  Low-impact design, using over 90% less water than competing solar thermal technologies that use conventional wet-cooling.
• Auxiliary gas-fired boiler
  Allows for hybridization, increased output and more reliable electricity production.

Storage

• When integrated, cost-effective thermal energy storage extends solar electricity production into later parts of the day after the sun goes down.