Concentrating cylindrical-parabolic solar collectors with thermo-electric generators for electricity production – viability assessment in India

Abstract

The use of concentrating solar collectors for converting solar insolation into thermal energy, followed by conversion of thermal energy to electricity via low to medium temperature thermoelectric generators at a particular location in India has been explored in this work. This may be considered a different route to obtaining solar heat and electricity apart from the more usual and direct solar photovoltaic conversion. Even though such a scheme may not presently enable production of electricity at tariffs comparable to fossil fuel based and existing renewable energy harvesting systems in India, it still provides the possibility to meet some part of the nation’s energy demand via a sustainable, renewable and clean route while also allowing for thermal energy storage and use. Thus small scale distributed energy systems can be implemented through such an arrangement.