Solar Power With Storage Is Now Mainstream, ‘Firming’ Wind Power For Continuous Supply

By Scott Bilby
Beyond Zero Emissions
July 28, 2009

Solar power with storage is now mainstream, ‘firming’ renewable energy to continuous supply.

Craig Turchi of the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory works to avoid price rises as solar replaces coal and gas electricity. He tells of innovations like storing the energy in Quartzite rocks, reducing the number of tanks, and using heat exchangers in clever ways to increase performance and reduce costs.

Craig Turchi Podcast

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Scott Bilby: This morning on Beyond Zero we’re talking with Dr Craig S. Turchi, Senior Engineer at the USA’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, otherwise known as NREL. Craig originally joined NREL in 1990 working in the solar industrial program. He was detoxifying hazardous waste using solar ultra violet light. After leaving NREL he went to work as a principle investigator and program leader at ADA technologies. Craig is back with NREL now, he is helping with the Concentrated Solar Power project and he is working on systems analysis and the development and assessment of heat transfer fluids and thermal storage concepts. Craig is task leader for the Concentrated Solar Power programs market transformation activities. Craig joins us live from Colorado in the United States. Hello Craig and thanks for joining us.

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