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CASE STUDIES
rem ENGINEERING, Inc., a developer of renewable energy solutions, successfully engineered the conceptual plant design and will supply the major power block equipment for the first of eight solar thermal plants to be located in southern California. The first hybrid plant will generate 52 mW of power from biomass and solar energy, replacing the nation’s need for 24,000,000 gallons of foreign oil.
This project is a first of it’s kind power generating facility combining solar power production with biomass gasification, resulting in a hybrid plant that is ‘always on’ and is capable of creating more than double the power of conventional solar energy projects. The plant will generate enough energy to power 47,000 homes.
The plant utilizes hybrid technology, generating power from both solar and biomass. The solar portion differs from conventional photovoltaic technology that employs large solar panels. The project is a solar thermal plant using large curved mirrors to focus the sun’s energy onto glass tubes. These tubes carry thermal oil that is heated by solar energy to create steam for electric generation.
In addition, the hybrid plant will generate power from the gasification of readily available biomass. This gasification system is incredibly efficient and releases minimal carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. Gasification of biomass results in less expensive steam generation, especially when compared to fossil fuel.
Once commercially available at this scale, rem ENGINEERING intends to employ their patented Ecoremedy biomass gasification technology at all projected hybrid power plants. The Ecoremedy technology is cleaner than any combustion process available today, including natural gas.
The innovative approach of using biomass gasification technology combined with solar power more than doubles the generating capacity of the plant at a fraction of the cost of conventional solar technology. This hybrid technology forms a cost effective foundation to launch a solar program that could change the face of renewable energy generation. rem’s technology can be used to retrofit the existing eight (8) SEGS solar plants in CA with biomass hybrid technology.
rem ENGINEERING developed the concept of the hybrid plant, including all conceptual engineering for the entire power block and solar field. In addition to selling the conceptual engineering, rem has been retained to provide the major power block equipment including the turbine generator set.
Commissioning of the first of eight plants is scheduled for December, 2008 with construction beginning in late 2007.
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