Thermal storage for concentrating solar power plants

Abstract The option to supply electricity on demand is a key advantage of solar thermal power plants with integrated thermal storage. Diurnal storage systems providing thermal power in the multi-MW range for several hours are required here, the temperature range is between 250°C and 700°C. This chapter gives an overview of the various basic concepts for energy storage and describes the state of the art in commercial storage systems used in solar thermal power generation. An overview of alternative and innovative storage concepts for this application area is given.