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View Full Version : Molten salt is "secret sauce" of new solar energy technology misslexi 06-08-2009, 11:14 AM I know this has been mentioned here but I couldn't find any direct threads, so... http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009312233_saltsolar08.html Jason M. Hendler 06-08-2009, 11:59 AM Molten salt is one of the best / cheapest thermal energy storage fluids available for "banking" solar energy past daylight hours. Texas 06-08-2009, 09:39 PM Refined graphite might also turn out to be a very practical heat storage solution. For many applications, electricity is not needed. For example, low temperature heat can satisfy many residential and industrial energy needs. Electricity is the highest form of energy. It's usually not the best way to go to heat your water or warm your house, for example. A simple low temperature solar device on your roof is multiple times more efficient for those applications. misslexi 06-08-2009, 10:24 PM Agreed, if the goal is heat, we don't need a middle man. Jason M. Hendler 06-09-2009, 07:58 AM Refined graphite might also turn out to be a very practical heat storage solution. For many applications, electricity is not needed. For example, low temperature heat can satisfy many residential and industrial energy needs. Electricity is the highest form of energy. It's usually not the best way to go to heat your water or warm your house, for example. A simple low temperature solar device on your roof is multiple times more efficient for those applications. That is why Ausra has supplied superheated steam for petroleum extraction. Previously, that oil field burned 5 MW of their own oil every day. | |