Investigating the Feasibility of Developing a Fully Solar-Driven Combined Cycle Design

This study explores the feasibility of a thermal solar-only combined cycle power plant, a concept rarely investigated despite its potential to outperform photovoltaic systems in energy efficiency. Unlike typical hybrid models that use solar energy as a supplement to fuel, this research focuses on a solar-only system that operates a true Brayton-Rankine combined cycle for continuous 24/7 power generation. The study established an efficiency benchmark, comparing eighteen solar generation scenarios across different storage and power block configurations to assess whether the concept was worth pursuing, which it proved to be. Following this, the research focused on simulation, validating ThermoFlex software as an accurate heat-balance software for real-world power plant simulations. A solar-only combined cycle integrated with a falling particle thermal energy storage system was developed. Simulation results showed strong alignment with the benchmark, confirming the viability of the efficiency advantage of this solar thermal pathway.