Brendan Murphy

Brendan M <murph443@gmail.com> to joseph.dolittle@gmail.com date Fri, Dec 26, 2008 at 10:43 PM subject Solar Turbine paper

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Dear Joe,

I have been number cunching solar energy over the years and have also found that solar thermal is much better the PV.

I've read this http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Solar_Turbine_Working_Paper#Costs

Here in Ontario Canada the province is paying 42 cents!!! per kW delivered to the grid for solar, as part of a program aimed at getting small players and farmers into the clean energy business. It's called the standard offer program.

Anyways I've noticed that in your calculation you have a 8% efficiency sterling. Mainstream steam turbines are about 40% efficient that are used in coal fire plants. And there are new turbines, from small companies, that claim 80% efficiency!! More then one, and I've looked at these and do believe they're not lying.

One thing that you might have missed in your calculation is that the generator and turbine capacity has to be set for the maximum sunshine, so they have to be rated much higher then the average output power.

In my consverative calculations I got just over 50% of the cost for the generator and stirling. I assumed $80/kW capacity for the generator and the stirling / turbine.

sincerely,

Brendan Murphy Tillsonburg Ontario