Maximization of solar potential use for industrial applications

The variability of solar resources determines the design of a solar thermal plant with the lowest energy cost of 0.0759 USD/kWh. Energy costs are reduced by 48 % with energy surpluses throughout the year. A new design methodology is proposed to maximize the use of solar thermal energy, ensuring the heat load at target temperature required by the process and maximizing electric power production throughout the year. A cool room is selected like case study to apply the new approach. Through statistical distribution by percentiles were determined the days of a year with surpluses of solar energy. A collector network and storage system designed with critical irradiance levels (183.75 W/m 2 , 5th percentile) feed 50 TR to a cold room and 4.5 kW of electric power. The complete device has a solar thermal installation that powers two heat pumps, one produces power using surplus solar energy and the other delivers the energy required by the cold chamber. Annual solar thermal energy production is 3342 MWh (48 % of energy surplus). 463 t of CO 2 emissions were avoided. The proposal for this work is a general methodology to produce auxiliary services in the industrial sector. • Approach to maximize the solar thermal resource to produce electric power. • Descriptive statistics: tool to analyze irradiance level for industrial applications. • Required heat load supply by means electricity produced by thermal energy surplus.