Keep Generating Power 24 hours with Combined Solar Thermal + Biomass Energy Plant

PG&E is finally discovering creative ways to provide baseload power to a very finicky California State government. By combining solar thermal power in the day, and biomass electric generation at night, the power utility will be able to produce renewable energy in a baseload form.

"This hybrid technology combines two renewable resources abundant inCalifornia -- solar energy and biofuel from the Central Valley," said Fong Wan, vice president of energy procurement at PG&E. "We will continue to add these types of innovative renewable energy sources to our power mix as we work to provide our customers with some of the cleanest energy in the nation and meet our state's climate change goals."


Martifer's renewable hybrid projects combine Luz solar thermal trough technology and steam turbines powered by biomass fuel to produce hybrid solar-biofuel renewable electricity. The incorporation of biofuel increases the overall production of renewable power by allowing for around-the-clock production of clean energy, even at night or when sunlight is not at its strongest. Each hybrid project will require 250,000 tons of biofuel annually, to be supplied from a combination of locally-produced agricultural wastes, green wastes and livestock manure. These projects are expected to begin operation in 2011. __Source

Biomass energy is simply solar energy with built-in storage. Although some forms of solar thermal provide a few hours of thermal storage for after-sunset power generation, in general when the sun goes down so does utility solar power. By using a form of renewable energy as a reliable backup for the dark hours, PG&E can provide reliable power without upsetting the incompetent yet fastidious ninnies who occupy the offices in California state government buildings.