Solar thermal energy storage and solar thermal energy

What is thermal energy storage (TES) in solar energy field?

Usage of renewable and clean solar energy is expanding at a rapid pace. Applications of thermal energy storage (TES) facility in solar energy field enable dispatchability in generation of electricity and home space heating requirements. It helps mitigate the intermittence issue with an energy source like solar energy.

Why should a solar thermal storage unit be used?

The solar thermal storage unit can also improve the equipment performance in terms of a smooth supply of energy with fluctuated solar energy collection as solar radiation varies throughout a day.

Why do solar collectors need a thermal energy storage system?

Because of the unstable and intermittent nature of solar energy availability, a thermal energy storage system is required to integrate with the collectors to store thermal energy and retrieve it whenever it is required.

How does thermal energy storage work?

Thermal energy storage provides a workable solution to this challenge. In a concentrating solar power (CSP) system, the sun's rays are reflected onto a receiver, which creates heat that is used to generate electricity that can be used immediately or stored for later use.

What is seasonal solar thermal storage system?

Seasonal solar thermal storage system store energy during the hot summer months and use it during colder winter weather. Solar thermal energy is captured by solar collectors and stored in different ways. The three above mentioned parameters used to calculate the TES potential are described with the following equations:

What is solar-thermal energy storage (STES)?

Among various technologies of solar energy utilization, solar-thermal energy storage (STES) technologies are widely studied to counter the mismatch between supply and energy demand as solar energy is intermittent and weather-dependent 5, 6, 7.