CSIRO blows steam on fossil fuels
- From: AAP
- June 03, 2014
THE power plants of the future could run on high-powered steam heated by the sun, not fossil fuels.
The CSIRO has harnessed solar energy to create "supercritical" solar steam, which is water pressurised at enormous force and heated using solar radiation.
They've managed to heat the steam to the highest temperatures ever achieved in the world without using coal or gas.
The development shows renewable energy sources are capable of doing the same job as fossil fuel sources.
"This breakthrough demonstrates the power plants of the future could (use) the free, zero-emission energy of the sun to achieve the same result," Energy Director Dr Alex Wonhas said.
Researchers at the CSIRO's Energy Centre in Newcastle made the breakthrough.
Only a small number of Australian power stations use supercritical steam, as most electricity is generated using fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, commercial solar thermal power plants across the world use a less powerful version of solar steam.
If they moved to the supercritical level, it could improve the plants' efficiency and, as such, lower the cost of solar electricity.