Technology

Chevron launches solar EOR pilot

Chevron USAs subsidiary Chevron Technology Ventures, has launched a unique enhanced oil recovery demonstration project to test the viability of using solar energy to produce oil.

The project uses over 7,600 mirrors to focus the sun's energy onto a solar boiler. The steam produced is injected into oil reservoirs to increase oil production.

According to Chevron, the project is the largest of its kind in the world. "Through this demonstration, we want to determine the feasibility of using solar power for enhanced oil recovery," said Desmond King, president of Chevron Technology Ventures. "This technology has the potential to augment gas-powered steam generation and may provide an additional resource in areas of the world where natural gas is expensive or not readily available."

One of America's oldest oil fields, the Coalinga Field began operations in the 1890s. Because the heavy crude oil produced at the field does not flow readily, it is more difficult to extract than lighter grades of crude.

Chevron enhances oil production from the Coalinga Field by injecting steam to heat the crude, thereby reducing its viscosity and making it easier to produce. This steam is currently generated by burning natural gas. The solar-to-steam project will supplement the gas-fired steam generators and help determine the commercial viability of using heat from the sun instead of natural gas to generate steam.

Chevron contracted BrightSource Energy, to install more than 7,600 mirrors and solar tower systems to produce steam that is distributed throughout the oil field and then injected underground for enhanced oil recovery. The project will be operated by Chevron Technology Ventures.

The solar-to-steam demonstration project is made up of 3,822 mirror systems, or heliostats, each consisting of two 10- by 7-foot mirrors mounted to a 6-foot steel pole. There are 7,644 mirrors in total focused on a 327-foot-tall solar tower. The project covers 100 acres, with mirrors covering 65 acres and 35 acres devoted to support facilities.

Abengoa, CMI develop off-the-shelf tower receiver

Cockerill Maintenance and Ingenerie and Abengoa have developed an off-the-shelf receiver for solar tower plants of 50MW and more.

According to the companies, they have leveraged Abengoa’s experience with its PS10 and PS20 tower plants, to design a receiver to superheat steam at temperatures of 520 degrees Celcius, at a pressure of 120 bar.

The patented design is optimized to match power tower cavities and solar receivers, and takes into account the fluctuating solar exposure, daily cycling and fast start-up required by CSP plants.

The companies say that this latest development in power tower receivers will decrease plant capital cost per megawatt installed.

Solar Millennium flogs US projects to Solar Hybrid for PV development

German solar-thermal power developer Solar Millennium has announced its plans to its U.S. pipeline of solar-power plants, including its famed Blythe project, to German developer Solarhybrid.

Under the deal, solarhybrid will take Solar Millennnium’s US project pipeline, representing an output of 2.25 gigawatts, and will convert the planned solar thermal projects to PV.

According to the agreement, which was inked on Wednesday night, Solar Millennium AG will receive a significant profit-share upon construction of the power plants in the US in addition to being reimbursed its entire investment in the projects.

Both companies expect the negotiations to be successfully concluded in October 2011. solarhybrid has already paid the first installments on the purchase price. The transaction is subject to another positive due-diligence assessment by solarhybrid.

In a statement, Solar Millennium noted the possibility that other industry partners will be included in the project. For now, however, the companies have agreed to keep the details of the transaction confidential.

Solar Millennium says the deal will enable it to focus on realising new and already planned solar-thermal and hybrid power plants in Europe, Asia, North Africa and Latin America and to expand its respective technology platforms.

The company recently inaugurated the new Andasol 3 solar power plant in Spain together with its partners on Friday. “In the US, the company will be available as a project partner as soon as the demand for storable solar energy starts growing there once again, with the parabolic trough technology being its specialty,” it said in a statement.

CSP solution launched for plastics molding

California-based LightManufacturing LLC has officially launched its solar thermal technology and turnkey manufacturing systems for molding plastic. 

The company's unique solar rotational molding systems, launched in June, uses concentrated solar thermal energy to replace fossil fuel heat sources used in traditional rotational molding. A bank of computer-controlled mirrors reflects sunlight onto a rotating hollow mold, which heats to several hundred degrees in seconds and melts the plastic inside. The mirrors adjust their positions as the sun moves across the sky, moving from mold to mold.

 “LightManufacturing’s SRM process directly harvests heat from the sun, which makes the system affordable to purchase and operate,” said Karl von Kries, president of LightManufacturing. “Free, available sunlight and low-cost hardware packages replace the large, expensive hardware components used in traditional rotational molding. Furthermore, SRM systems do not require a building, electrical service or gas lines. Our test facility is set up on grazing land.” 

LightManufacturing will sell turnkey SRM systems to plastic molders and license its technology to other companies and development agencies, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The firm targets the solution for both the developed world and emerging markets where energy resources are limited and economic development is a challenge.