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Chile is undergoing a remarkable energy matrix transition to renewable energy. Renewable energies are expanding extraordinarily fast, exceeding earlier predictions. As a result, the country is expected to meet its 2025 goal of generating 20% of its electricity from renewable energy sources quite before. Chile has become one of the first countries in the world with subsidy-free markets, where renewable projects compete directly with other conventional sources. Favorable market conditions and successful policy reforms were keys to fostering this renewable energy development. Although the country has achieved a substantial growth in renewable energy investment in a relatively short period of time, this optimism should be treated with caution. A successful transition requires a combination of a clear decision making, persistent and consistent government policies, and a clear commitment to tackling challenges to accommodate renewable energy in the power system. In this context, this paper analyses the Chilean renewable industry and the required government policies to succeed in this transition. For this purpose, we identify several critical factors that have attracted and that could attract investment to the renewable energy sector and propose key recommendations to effectively address the major challenges faced for the future development of the industry.
Shahriyar Nasirov; Claudio Agostini; Carlos Augusto Santos Silva; Gustavo Caceres. Renewable energy transition: a market-driven solution for the energy and environmental concerns in Chile. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2017, 20, 3 -12.
AMA StyleShahriyar Nasirov, Claudio Agostini, Carlos Augusto Santos Silva, Gustavo Caceres. Renewable energy transition: a market-driven solution for the energy and environmental concerns in Chile. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 2017; 20 (1):3-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleShahriyar Nasirov; Claudio Agostini; Carlos Augusto Santos Silva; Gustavo Caceres. 2017. "Renewable energy transition: a market-driven solution for the energy and environmental concerns in Chile." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 20, no. 1: 3-12.
In the present paper, the finite element method is used to perform an exhaustive analysis of the thermal behavior of encapsulated phase change materials (EPCMs), which includes an assessment of several materials in order to identify the best combination of PCM and shell material in terms of thermal energy storage, heat transfer rate, cost of materials, limit of pressure that they can support and other criteria. It is possible to enhance the heat transfer rate without a considerable decrease of the thermal energy storage density, by increasing the thickness of the shell. In the first examination of thermomechanical coupling effects, the technical feasibility can be determined if the EPCM dimensions are designed considering the thermal expansion and the tensile strength limit of the materials. Moreover, when a proper EPCM shell material and PCM composition is used, and compared with the current storage methods of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, the use of EPCM allows one to enhance significantly the thermal storage, reaching more than 1.25 GJ/m3 of energy density.
Gustavo Cáceres; Karina Fullenkamp; Macarena Montané; Krzysztof Naplocha; Anna Dmitruk. Encapsulated Nitrates Phase Change Material Selection for Use as Thermal Storage and Heat Transfer Materials at High Temperature in Concentrated Solar Power Plants. Energies 2017, 10, 1318 .
AMA StyleGustavo Cáceres, Karina Fullenkamp, Macarena Montané, Krzysztof Naplocha, Anna Dmitruk. Encapsulated Nitrates Phase Change Material Selection for Use as Thermal Storage and Heat Transfer Materials at High Temperature in Concentrated Solar Power Plants. Energies. 2017; 10 (9):1318.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGustavo Cáceres; Karina Fullenkamp; Macarena Montané; Krzysztof Naplocha; Anna Dmitruk. 2017. "Encapsulated Nitrates Phase Change Material Selection for Use as Thermal Storage and Heat Transfer Materials at High Temperature in Concentrated Solar Power Plants." Energies 10, no. 9: 1318.
Thermal energy storage systems (TES) are a key component of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants that generally use a NaNO3/KNO3 mixture also known as solar salt as a thermal storage material. Improvements in TES materials are important to lower CSP costs, increase energy efficiency and competitiveness with other technologies. A novel alternative examined in this paper is the use of salt mixtures with lithium nitrate that help to reduce the salt’s melting point and improve thermal capacity. This in turn allows the volume of materials required to be reduced. Based on data for commercial plants and the expected evolution of the lithium market, the technical and economic prospects for this alternative are evaluated considering recent developments of Lithium Nitrates and the uncertain future prices of lithium. Through a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) analysis it is concluded that some of the mixtures could allow a reduction in the costs of CSP plants, improving their competitiveness.
Macarena Montané; Gustavo Cáceres; Mauricio Villena; Raúl O’Ryan. Techno-Economic Forecasts of Lithium Nitrates for Thermal Storage Systems. Sustainability 2017, 9, 810 .
AMA StyleMacarena Montané, Gustavo Cáceres, Mauricio Villena, Raúl O’Ryan. Techno-Economic Forecasts of Lithium Nitrates for Thermal Storage Systems. Sustainability. 2017; 9 (5):810.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMacarena Montané; Gustavo Cáceres; Mauricio Villena; Raúl O’Ryan. 2017. "Techno-Economic Forecasts of Lithium Nitrates for Thermal Storage Systems." Sustainability 9, no. 5: 810.
The improvement of solar thermal technologies in emerging economies like Chile is particularly attractive because the country is endowed with one of the most consistently high solar potentials, lithium and copper reserves. In recent years, growing interests for lithium based salts and copper foams in application of thermal technologies could change the landscape of Chile transforming its lithium reserves and copper availability into competitive energy produced in the region. This study reviews the technical advantages of using lithium based salts—applied as heat storage media and heat transfer fluid—and copper foam/Phase Change Materials (PCM) alternatives—applied as heat storage media—within tower and parabolic trough Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, and presents a first systematic evaluation of the costs of these alternatives based on real plant data. The methodology applied is based on material data base compilation of price and technical properties, selection of CSP plant and estimation of amount of required material, and analysis of Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). Results confirm that some lithium based salts are effective in reducing the amount of required material and costs for the Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems for both plant cases, with savings of up to 68% and 4.14% in tons of salts and LCOE, respectively. Copper foam/PCM composites significantly increase thermal conductivity, decreasing the volume of the TES system, but costs of implementation are still higher than traditional options.
Gustavo Cáceres; Macarena Montané; Shahriyar Nasirov; Raúl O’Ryan. Review of Thermal Materials for CSP Plants and LCOE Evaluation for Performance Improvement using Chilean Strategic Minerals: Lithium Salts and Copper Foams. Sustainability 2016, 8, 106 .
AMA StyleGustavo Cáceres, Macarena Montané, Shahriyar Nasirov, Raúl O’Ryan. Review of Thermal Materials for CSP Plants and LCOE Evaluation for Performance Improvement using Chilean Strategic Minerals: Lithium Salts and Copper Foams. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (2):106.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGustavo Cáceres; Macarena Montané; Shahriyar Nasirov; Raúl O’Ryan. 2016. "Review of Thermal Materials for CSP Plants and LCOE Evaluation for Performance Improvement using Chilean Strategic Minerals: Lithium Salts and Copper Foams." Sustainability 8, no. 2: 106.
This paper addresses an economic study of the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels for residential power generation in Santiago, Chile, based on the different parameters of a PV system, such as efficiency. As a performance indicator, the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) was used, which indicates the benefit of the facility vs. the current cost of electrical energy. In addition, due to a high level of airborne dusts typically associated with PM10, the effect of the dust deposition on PV panels’ surfaces and the effect on panel performance are examined. Two different scenarios are analyzed: on-grid PV plants and off-grid PV plants.
Gustavo Cáceres; Shahriyar Nasirov; Huili Zhang; Gerardo Araya-Letelier. Residential Solar PV Planning in Santiago, Chile: Incorporating the PM10 Parameter. Sustainability 2014, 7, 422 -440.
AMA StyleGustavo Cáceres, Shahriyar Nasirov, Huili Zhang, Gerardo Araya-Letelier. Residential Solar PV Planning in Santiago, Chile: Incorporating the PM10 Parameter. Sustainability. 2014; 7 (1):422-440.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGustavo Cáceres; Shahriyar Nasirov; Huili Zhang; Gerardo Araya-Letelier. 2014. "Residential Solar PV Planning in Santiago, Chile: Incorporating the PM10 Parameter." Sustainability 7, no. 1: 422-440.
Thermal energy storage is an expanding field within the subject of renewable energy technologies. After a listing of the different possibilities available for energy storage, this paper provides a comparison of various materials for High Temperature Thermal Energy Storage (HTTS). Several attributes and needs of each solution are listed. One in particular is using the latent heat as one of the most efficient ways to store thermal energy. The mixture of phase change material (PCM) embedded in a metal foam is optimising the thermal properties of the material for latent heat energy storage. The results of previous studies show that mechanical and thermal properties of foam were extensively studied separately. This paper highlights the potential for an advanced study of thermo-mechanical properties of metal foams embedded with PCM.
D. Fernandes; F. Pitié; G. Cáceres; J. Baeyens. Thermal energy storage: “How previous findings determine current research priorities”. Energy 2012, 39, 246 -257.
AMA StyleD. Fernandes, F. Pitié, G. Cáceres, J. Baeyens. Thermal energy storage: “How previous findings determine current research priorities”. Energy. 2012; 39 (1):246-257.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. Fernandes; F. Pitié; G. Cáceres; J. Baeyens. 2012. "Thermal energy storage: “How previous findings determine current research priorities”." Energy 39, no. 1: 246-257.