Economic and environmental assessment of a concentrated solar power system using sand as a heat transfer medium – Green Technology & Innovation | Caravel Press
Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems offer a promising pathway to reduce fossil fuel dependence, particularly in regions with abundant sunlight. This study evaluates the economic, environmental, and fuel-saving benefits of a CSP system using locally sourced sand as a heat transfer medium. The system integrates a sand–air heat exchanger, a microturbine (100 kWe), and a 300 kW thermal battery. Tested during peak solar hours, the turbine achieved 39.5% thermal efficiency using heliostats to concentrate solar energy and heat sand particles, transferring thermal energy to drive the turbine. Operational data show a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, resulting in significant financial reductions and environmental benefits. The thermal battery enables continued operation during cloudy periods or nighttime by storing excess heat, further enhancing fuel efficiency and emission reductions. Reaching technology readiness level 7 in 2018, the prototype demonstrates viability for regions with high direct normal irradiation, such as Saudi Arabia. Key performance factors include heliostat quality, heat exchanger efficiency, and sand thermal properties. Despite challenges like heliostat degradation since 2009, the system shows scalability potential. Solar contribution could reach 80% with an optimized design, amplifying economic and environmental gains. The study highlights the promise of sand-based CSP systems in reducing fossil fuel reliance and supporting global sustainability goals. Future improvements should focus on enhancing heliostat reflectivity, refining heat exchanger design, and selecting sand with better thermal stability. These advancements could pave the way for cost-effective, renewable energy solutions in desert regions rich in solar and sand resources.
Keywords. Concentrated solar power; Sand-based heat transfer; Fuel consumption reduction; Carbon dioxide emissions; Thermal battery storage; Heliostat efficiency; Renewable energy
References
Baras A, Bamhair W, AlKhoshi Y, Alodan M, Engel- Cox J. Opportunities and challenges of solar energy in Saudi Arabia. Unpublished manuscript. In: Conference: World Renewable Energy Forum; 2012.
Vignarooban K, Xu X, Arvay A, Hsu K, Kannan AM. Heat transfer fluids for concentrating solar power systems - A review. Appl Energy. 2015;146:383-398. doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.125
Saeed RS, Alswaiyd A, Saleh NS, et al. Characterization of low-cost particulates used as energy storage and heat- transfer medium in concentrated solar power systems. Materials. 2022;15(8):2946. doi: 10.3390/ma15082946
Ghaithan A, Hadidi L, Mohammed A. Techno-economic assessment of concentrated solar power generation in Saudi Arabia. Renew Energy. 2024;220:119623. doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2023.119623
El-Leathy A, Al-Ansary H, Jeter S, et al. Preliminary tests of an integrated gas turbine-solar particle heating and energy storage system. AIP Conf Proc. 2018;2033(1):090007. doi: 10.1063/1.5067049
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Technology Readiness Levels. NASA; 2019. Available from: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/engineering/technology/technology_readiness_level [Last accessed on 2025 Jul 01].
World Bank Group. Global Solar Atlas 2.0. World Bank; 2019. Available from: https://globalsolaratlas.info [Last accessed on 2025 Jul 01].
Al-Ansary H, El-Leathy A, Jeter S, et al. On-sun experiments on a particle heating receiver with red sand as the working medium. AIP Conf Proc. 2018;2033(1):090006. doi: 10.1063/1.5067038
Alaqel S, El-Leathy A, Al-Ansary H, et al. Experimental investigation of the performance of a shell-and-tube particle- to-air heat exchanger. Sol Energy. 2020;204:548-559. doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2020.04.062
Alaqel S, Saleh NS, Saeed RS, et al. An experimental demonstration of the effective application of thermal energy storage in a particle-based CSP system. Sustainability. 2022;14(9):5316. doi: 10.3390/su14095316
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Emission Factors for Greenhouse Gases from the Combustion of Fuels. EPA; 2023. Available from: https://www.epa.gov [Last accessed on 2025 Apr 01].
King Saud University. Field Measurements Data for Sun-Air- Sand CSP Prototype Project [Unpublished Raw Data]. Saudi Arabia: King Saud University; n.d.
Alonso-Montesinos J, Polo J, Ballestrín J, Batlles FJ, Portillo C. Impact of DNI forecasting on CSP tower plant power production. Renew Energy. 2019;138:698-706. doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.01.095
Byman AD, Huang X, McGillivray R. Heat Exchanger for Heating or Cooling Bulk Solids (U.S. Patent No. 15/633,365). U.S. Patent Trademark Office; 2018. Available from: https:// patents.google.com/patent/US20180363988A1/en [Last accessed on 2025 Apr 01].
International Renewable Energy Agency. Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2023. Abu Dhabi: IRENA; 2024.
El-Leathy A, Jeter S, Al-Ansary H, et al. Thermal performance evaluation of lining materials used in thermal energy storage for a falling particle receiver based CSP system. Sol Energy. 2019;181:457-471. doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2018.12.047
Saudi Green Initiative; 2021. Available from: https://www.sgi.gov.sa [Last accessed on 2025 Apr 01].
Saleh NS, Alaqel S, Djajadiwinata E, et al. Experimental investigation of a moving packed-bed heat exchanger suitable for concentrating solar power applications. Appl Sci. 2022;12(8):4054. doi: 10.3390/app12084055
Zhang X, Wang Y, Wang R, Wang X, Liang Y. Influence of particle size and packing on the thermal conductivity of carbonate sand. Granul Matter. 2022;24(4):100. doi: 10.1007/s10035-022-01277-9
Alaqel S, Djajadiwinata E, Saeed RS, et al. Performance of the world’s first integrated gas turbine-solar particle heating and energy storage system. Appl Therm Eng. 2022;213:119049. doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2022.119049
Altouma A, Bashir B, Ata B, et al. An environmental impact assessment of Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030 for sustainable urban development: A policy perspective on greenhouse gas emissions. Environ Sustain Indic. 2023;21:100323. doi: 10.1016/j.indic.2023.100323
How to cite this article
Al-Ansary, H., Al-Shehri, A., Alaqel, S., Djajadiwinata, E., Saeed, R.S., Saleh, N.S., El-Leathy, A., Danish, S. and Al-Suhaibani, Z. (2025). 'Economic and environmental assessment of a concentrated solar power system using sand as a heat transfer medium'. Green Technology & Innovation, 1, pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.36922/GTI025290009
