Thermal Solar Energy - Essay Example

Thermal solar energy due: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Introduction Nowadays, the primary energy origin is natural gas, biomass, oil, and coal. There are other forms of energy sources that include nuclear power got from thermal energy preserved in the interior of the earth and radioactive substances. They have been used for long and are known as non-renewable energy. The challenge is that the sources of the non-renewable energy are rapidly exhausting and are not able to satisfy the future demand of energy (Rathore, 2010). The non-renewable sources of energy are expensive because they are obtained at clear-cut prices. They are dangerous to the habitat, and the concentration of power is not variable (Solar Energy Beginning. (n.d). Cost of operation, equipment and maintenance is expensive. This necessitates the need for a source of energy that is renewable, available at low cost and eco-friendly. The best option is renewable energy that is restored by natural process. In regards to the UAE, the most available source of renewables is solar. The solar energy comes from the sun and the nuclear activities in the core of the sun release radiant energy. The solar energy is quickly converted into electrical or thermal energy (Cameron & Craig, 2010). The paper will discuss thermal solar power generation. It will also outline the advantages and disadvantages of thermal solar generation. Moreover, the essay will concentrate on the utilization of this kind of power in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The paper will consider the reason many people prefer this form of energy. Moreover, it will deliberate on the future of thermal solar power in energy growing economy. Thesis statement: thermal solar energy is a source of energy that is cheap, affordable, readily available and friendly to the environment. Definition of solar thermal energy Solar thermal energy is a technology for exploiting the energy that comes from the solar for thermal heat. It is transferred from the sun rays and converted into electric current that is utilized in many industrial and domestic settings for electricity and heating purposes (Tabak, 2009). The thermal energy from the sun is described as a small, medium, or high form of energy that is gathered by thermal energy technology. The solar power relies on solar cell or photovoltaic devices that transform sun into electricity (Shakespeare, 2014). The concentrated solar power is a solar collector system that utilizes reflective surfaces to gather sunlight onto a tiny zone, where it is absorbed and transformed to electricity (Technology Fundamentals, 2003). Concentrating solar panels are categorized according to the manner in which they collect solar energy by utilizing power tower systems, linear concentrators, and engines/dishes. The systems are usually developed with tracking gadgets that follow the sun during the day and seasonally to increase the electrical output of the system (Bieber & Spellman, 2011). How the solar energy works 1. Power towers A solar power tower is a kind of a solar furnace that uses a tower to obtain the centralized sunlight. It employs heliostats that are a group of flat, movable mirrors that direct the sun rays to the collector tower (Naggi, 2009). There are various materials used in the central receiver of the solar power tower such as liquid metal (sodium), molten inorganic salts and steam. The intensive solar radiations absorbed in the central receiver heat the molten inorganic salt. The parabolic mirrors are utilized to centralize heat to the pipes transporting oil. The oil heats the water that converts to steam used to move turbines to generate electricity (Clean Technica, 2014). 2. Molten salts The molten salt is heated to a maximum temperature of 565oC (Khartchenko, N. V., &Kharchenko, V. M. 2013). The molten salt storage energy has an efficiency of 93%. The molten salt is inflated into a generator, where the heat is transported to steam that is used to power the turbines to produce electricity. The salt is then cooled to 290oC and is transferred back to the tank for re-heating. The molten salt enables the solar power tower to have available stored energy that can be used at any time to produce electricity (Haugan, 2012). Energy technology application 1. Cooking Cooking food using solar energy implements the solar thermal technology. The solar cooker concentrates solar energy to a central point where the cooking pot is placed to perform cooking. The solar cooker functions using solar energy and does not emit smoke, does not spoil cooking utensils with soot and does not require fuel. Solar cooking is eco-friendly because it keeps the environment clean (Rathore&Panwar, 2007). The thermal box cooker is used widely all over the world. The thermal box cooker was invented in 1767 by Horace de Saussure. The cooker utilizes modifiable reflecting surfaces to concentrate sunlight inside an enclosed box. In order to tap the heat from the sunlight, a cover made of plastic or glass is used. The curved shape helps the box cooker to concentrate heat on the cooker’s base. Therefore, it is capable of generating high degrees of heat and cook faster (Ursyn, 2014). Thermal solar technology is used by concentrating solar cookers because they can direct sunlight to one point where the energy is collected and used. They also use polished aluminum surfaces that are organized around the cooker to maximize the radiation impact on it (Hankins, 2010). 2. Heating water in showers and industrial plants In the United States, solar energy is utilized in industrial and domestic environment to heat water. It is used in different ranges from heating swimming pool to heating water to 150oC for industrial purposes. The most common used devices are solar collectors and solar panels, and they account for 50% of U.S. domestic use (Stringer & World Wildlife Fund, 2009). Thermal solar energy technology is employed in USA and UAE in large-scale heating of water in industrial processes of desalination. Desalination is the process of purifying salty sea water to make it safe for drinking. The process is cost-effective for large-scale firms because the unit cost of water product is lower and therefore commercially feasible. The technology is used in companies used to supply water for family and community needs. The technology is also used in other processes such as solar distillations, freezing and membrane (Goudie& Cuff, 2002). Major concentrating solar powers are situated in the United Arab Emirates because of its ability to receive much sunlight that is harnessed to produce electricity. The UAE is geographically located in a zone that has aggregated sunny hours. The annual average global solar radiation for UAE is 6 kWh/m2 per day. The estimated direct normal irradiance per day is 4.5 kWh/m2 (Global Economy and Development Program (n.d.). 3. Solar drying Thermal solar technology is used in wood kilns to control lumber quality and dehumidify the air. The technology’s capability to change vapor heat condensation into moderate heat making it perfect to create a well-controlled drying environment (Kudra&Mujumdar, 2010). The technology is used to dry fir wood chips used for combustion in UAE suburbs. Thermal solar energy is used to drain water content from wood at low cost. Drying the wood chips requires much energy to superheat steam that is costly. Drying of the wood chips is necessary to prevent emissions from the wood chips when burning to keep the environment clean (Neufert et al., 2012). The energy generated from thermal solar is used for various purposes such as minimizing the content of moisture in food grains after being harvested. It is also used in food preservation for example fish, fruits and vegetables by drying using the sun. Thermal solar energy is utilized to get salt from sea-water and for drying clothes (Malkina-Pykh & Pykh, 2003). The process of desalinating salt seawater to produce fresh water uses thermal solar energy because of its cost effectiveness. Another use of the technology is in treating waste water by solar oxidation procedure (Bundschuh & Hoinkis, 2012). The process of distillation comprises of preheating of seawater that is forced to the section where the water is evaporated. The vapor is collected in storage tanks where it is cooled to produce safe drinking water (Camacho, 2011). Thermal solar energy preference in UAE Thermal solar power is the preferred form of energy in UAE because of its availability. There is abundant solar energy in the UAE in particular the Arabian Gulf region. The average annual sunshine hours in UAE are 3,568 h that amounts to 9.7 h/day. The use of sunlight to generate thermal solar energy does not require much infrastructure. The most significant infrastructure support is thermal energy storage that is utilized to collect the sunlight to produce energy. Thermal energy is convenient for industrial and domestic use because it is more available compared to other forms of energy for example gas and hydro energy. In addition, the cost is cheap compared to the alternative forms of energy (Spellman, 2013). Thermal solar energy is essential to assist in minimizing the degree of carbon dioxide and safeguard the ozone layer which is endangered to prevent climate changes in the future. Environmentally sensitive The solar energy is eco-environmental friendly and provides a clean source of renewables. From the perspective of ecosystem conservation, it has low energy density. It enables the generation of thermal and electrical energy with low emission of CO2 in the atmosphere. Therefore, thermal solar energy does not cause any form of pollution. Cheap source of power Thermal solar energy is a cheap source of power because it uses sunlight to generate electricity. The solar which is the main source of energy is easy to harvest in UAE because of its availability. Thermal solar energy is economical compared to oil for domestic use. The price of oil increases with time but the cost of solar cell decrease steadily. Solar power possesses the highest rate of conversion compared to other forms of energy. For example, the source of fossil energy takes millions of years to replenish. In the case of solar energy it is received from the sunlight at a rate that is less or equal to the production of sunlight. In thermal solar energy, the amount of sunlight used is the one that is provided by sun. Most of the equipment needed for thermal solar power production is less expensive to buy. They include flat plate collector that is used for domestic purposes. Example of domestic use includes swimming pool heating, bathing, and space heating and cooking. The energy payback time for thermal solar system is cheap compared to solar electric (PV) system which makes it affordable to the public (Hough, 2007). Technology is cheap The thermal solar energy technology is cheap because the solar electric system does not use any kind of fuel the solar molecules change freely into electricity. The solar molecules can be used for a long time without being exhausted that eliminates any cost incurred for acquiring raw materials. Solar electric systems do not need much maintenance as compared to ordinary generators. Solar electric systems that are installed correctly are safe in households. The equipment required for thermal solar energy is cheap to obtain because of discounted rates. Their maintenance and operational costs are also low (Sunderasan, 2015). Advantages of thermal solar energy The solar energy is available in UAE throughout the year, and this makes it reliable. In addition, thermal solar power does not produce exhaust gasses that pollute the atmosphere and the environment. Moreover, it is an inexpensive way of generating electricity by tapping energy from the sun. Thermal solar energy provides a cost effective source of energy for large-scale plants and domestic use because the installed solar panels generate free solar energy. Thermal solar energy is utilized in heating water, solar pumping, solar distillation, cooking and producing electricity (Rajput, 2012). The solar energy does not pollute the air with noise compared to other giant machines used for pumping oil. It has been proved that thermal solar power has a 31.25% efficiency rate that defeated the set record of 1984 (Sandia news media, 2008). The solar panels do not need much maintenance because there are no movable components involved. Thermal solar energy has a long-tern return on investment as a result of free solar energy (Wall, 2014). Disadvantages of thermal solar energy To set up an efficient and effective thermal solar energy plant requires massive capital. The thermal solar energy is dependent on the availability of sunlight hence any climatic change interferes with the production of energy that makes it unreliable. The electricity produced is for local use and cannot be used in other countries due to variation in the environment structure. It is recommended that for effectiveness of thermal solar energy medium or long-term storage is necessary. The long-term storages are used to preserve energy in times of seasonal climatic differences. It requires greater storage volumes that comprise of higher cost of acquiring the equipment needed (Wall, 2014). The future of solar thermal energy in UAE a. Challenges The solar technology is faced with different social, technical and economic difficulties. The technical obstacle includes heat transfer thermal and fluid lost from the storage system. It also faces economic hindrance in the initial investment cost. In addition in UAE, the thermal solar technology is considered high-risk by financial organizations because of the short history. The UAE faces difficult in thermal solar energy because of dust that minimized solar insulation by 30%. It is caused by haze and dusts storms from Mojave Desert (Prior, 2011). The solar technology experiences institutional limitations associated with elements of insufficient ability of the employee’s training. There is a problem with organizing financial incentives and lack of adequate number of workers with the required skill to maintain and install solar energy systems (Yüzügüllü, 2013). Despite the fact that solar energy is cheap there is low output of electricity because of insufficient investment in generation plants. With thermal solar energy, much investment is required to put up new plants. In the whole lifecycle of the production plants, 80% of the cost is incurred in related debts and construction and 20% for the operation (Singh, 2010). It is because of the hindrances in thermal solar energy that the Abu Dhabi Masdar Institute of Technology is looking for the sustainable systems and advanced energy. The institute collaborates with a network of 20 partner organization from Arab Gulf countries and Europe (Masdar Institute, 2014). Shams 1 plant assist in attaining the Abu Dhabi’s objective of seven percent renewable power production capacity by 2020. The organization will participate in minimizing the state’s carbon emission and the diversification of United Arab Emirate energy (Masdar, 2014). b. Recommendations In order to motivate and promote thermal solar energy technology the government may utilize the following recommendations (Pipkin, 2011): - The government should pass legislation that will promote solar thermal installation for heating water and PV panels for generating electricity. - The government should make it compulsory for new home constructions to install PV and solar thermal panels. - The government should give incentives to encourage the use of thermal solar energy - The government should invest in programs that will initiate education about the efficiency of thermal solar energy. - Institutions of learning should introduce thermal solar power training to empower citizens and produce solar power empowered workforce. - The energy department should put more emphasis in solar harvesting through investing in the thermal solar energy generating plants or initiating new ones. References Bieber, R. M., & Spellman, F. R. (2011).Environmental Health and Science. 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