Can solar cells powered by the sun of the Saudi Arabian desert take the place of a nuclear power plant? That's what the University of Tokyo and Sharp Corp. hope to learn with the construction of an experimental solar power system in the Kingdom.
Can solar cells powered by the sun of the Saudi Arabian desert take the place of a nuclear power plant? That's what the University of Tokyo and Sharp Corp. hope to learn with the construction of an experimental solar power system in the Kingdom.
The system would theoretically be capable of generating 1 gigawatt, equivalent to the output of a single reactor.
To overcome a common drawback in solar power systems--they are inefficient in converting solar energy into electricity--the project will be of a significantly larger scale and use more efficient energy conversion technology.
Many in the industry are watching to see if the experimental system can deliver on its promise to provide power equivalent to that provided by nuclear power plants and at what cost.
The university will enter into a memorandum in August with the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, a Saudi Arabian government organization overseeing nuclear power and natural energies, regarding building the experimental system in the country's desert. Sharp and JGC Corp., a major Japanese plant engineering service provider, will provide technical support.
In past years, the university and Sharp cooperated in this field, developing concentrated solar power equipment with a world's best conversion efficiency of 42.1 percent.
The desert region in Saudi Arabia offers plenty of solar radiation but frequent sand storms could shorten the lifespan of the equipment.
As envisioned, 81 solar power generation units, each with an output of 200 kilowatts, will be set up with a conversion efficiency of 35 percent or more. Total output will be raised up to 1 gigawatt as necessary.
Saudi Arabia, despite its vast oil reserves, could face an energy shortage as its population and economy expand.
Mikio Katayama, president of Sharp, said at a symposium July 11 at the University of Tokyo that he hopes to establish solar power-based infrastructure systems in different regions of the world.