A small coal-fired generating plant owned by Colorado’s Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association will be used to test new hybrid technology that combines solar- and coal-generated steam to generate electricity.
A small coal-fired generating plant owned by Colorado’s Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association will be used to test new hybrid technology that combines solar- and coal-generated steam to generate electricity.
The 245-megawatt station in northwestern New Mexico is one of two host sites that California’s Electric Power Research Institute chose to test the technology. Tri-State, which provides electricity to 18 of Colorado’s 22 electric co-ops, worked with EPRI in 2009 on a study of the potential and the feasibility of combining solar thermal concentrating technology at a coal-fired plant to augment electric output and lower carbon and other emissions.
Solar thermal hybrid applications can provide a low-cost option for incorporating renewable energy into established grids because, rather than build new transmission capability for a stand-alone solar concentrating plant, the steam generated can generate electricity through the turbine generator already established at the coal facility and use its transmission lines.
It also eliminates the challenges of siting a new plant and new power block, said EPRI Vice President of Generation Carolyn Shockley.
“These projects will seek to demonstrate a near term and cost-effective way to use solar energy at commercial scale,” Shockley said. “This is a key step along the road toward taking full advantage of technologies to lower the industry’s carbon footprint.”
Ken Anderson, Tri-State’s executive vice present and general manager, said the project will contribute to company efforts to incorporate more renewable energy into its generating capacity.
“We are intrigued with the positive results of EPRI’s solar augmentation study that was conducted at our plant and we are extremely interested in further exploring the practical application of this breakthrough technology that could further advance the efficiencies at one of our existing facilities.”