While supercritical steam – which is steam created at super critical pressures (22.064 MPa for H2O) – isn’t new the fact that it was created using solar power is nothing short of an engineering marvel. In traditional supercritical processes coal or gas are used to turn liquid into steam without it passing through a bubbling, boiling phase. This steam is then used to turn power plant turbines and generate electricity.
"It's like breaking the sound barrier; this step change proves solar has the potential to compete with the peak performance capabilities of fossil fuel sources," said CSIRO's Energy Director Dr. Alex Wonhas. "Instead of relying on burning fossil fuels to produce supercritical steam, this breakthrough demonstrates that the power plants of the future could instead be using the free, zero emission energy of the sun to achieve the same result."
One reason CSIRO’s achievement represents a possible sea-change in energy production lies in the fact that solar-thermal plants have never been able to produce true supercritical steam. Because of that shortcoming solar-thermal has been considered inefficient. With CSIRO’s breakthrough, however, we may be on the verge of redefining the capabilities of green energy.
Though CSIRO researchers concede that their technology may be “a fair way off commercial development,” it’s hard not to marvel at their creation and the sheer power of the Sun. Hopefully, as more solar thermal plants come online they’ll have the opportunity to employ CSIRO’s supercritical strategy, increasing their efficiency and taking a more commanding role in global energy infrastructure.
Image and Video Courtesy of CSIRO