DOE Earmarks $60M For Solar Thermal Research

The Department of Energy has just earmarked $60 million over five years for research funding into developing low-cost solar thermal technology. Concentrating solar thermal technology (like the parabolic trough pictured from Schott Solar) is currently one of the most cost-effective solar power technologies available today. Unlike photovoltaics, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, solar thermal works by focusing sunlight to superheat a transfer medium (often a liquid salt mixture) that in turn is used to power conventional steam generators. One of the advantages of solar thermal over photovoltaics (PV) is that solar thermal systems can continue to generate electricity after sundown using the residual stored heat in the system. Also, unlike PV systems, solar thermal suffers no loss of efficiency at high ambient temperatures.

While EcoHouston applauds the DOE's newfound interest in a technology that is already established and generating power around the globe,$10.2 million a year for five years seems a rather paltry sum when compared to the billions of dollars in subsidies given to the oil and gas industry (particularly given the hundreds of billions in profit those companies are currently making).