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Approach used for providing solar energy includes the utilisation of a solar tower system with a solar reactor atop the solar tower or preheater tower in a conventional cement plant. Analysis considered thermal energy substitution ranging from 100% to 50%.
Gonzalez and Flamant (2013) designed a hybrid model that uses solar and fossil fuel energy to fulfill the thermal energy requirement for cement manufacturing. Concentrated solar thermal (CST) is a potential replacement for 40%–100% of the thermal energy needed in a conventional cement plant.
This study shows that it is feasible to implement concentrated solar energy for the calcination process of cement production. Solar resource for the chosen plant location permits operation for an average of 12 h per day. 9 h of these 12 h are useable, with the remaining 3 h being utilized to heat up and cool down the solar reactor.
Concentrated solar power system is designed for cement industry. Substitution of required thermal energy ranging from 100% to 50% is studied. 7600 heliostats with 570 ha land required for 50% conventional energy replacement with solar energy. Selected conventional cement plant could save 419 thousand tons of CO 2 annually.
Chile has the potential to run exclusively on renewable generation, with an estimated energy mix of 46% solar, 31% wind, 12% hydroelectric, and 8% flexible natural gas power plants, as well as 23% of battery storage capacity. The remaining 2% is split between biomass, geothermal, and other less common energy sources.
Currently, 36 of the 129 large-scale projects Latin America projects with an energy storage component under development are in Chile, including 32 out of 71 of the region’s early works projects. The storage technologies either in use or being considered include:
According to data from Acera, the Chilean Renewable Energy Association, there are only 64MW of battery storage capacity currently active, representing 0.2% of national capacity. AES Andes, a subsidiary of U.S. company AES Corp. operates all 64MW at their Angamos and Los Andes substations.
Chile’s goal to achieve 80% renewable grid by 2030 and a 100% zero emissions grid by 2050, will require an estimated 2,000 MW of energy storage every 10 years.
