Although the price of solar continues to fall for homeowners, experts say we are still some time away from matching the cost of fossil fuels.  Optimistic expectations are set as early as 2013, but range through to year 2020, which may be delaying many cost-conscious consumers from opting out of fossil fuels, and hindering the commercial-scale use of solar.

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) may have found another solution – solar thermal hybrid power plants.  How does it work?  Put simply, solar-generated steam is integrated into the steam cycle of fossil plants.  Because the solar thermal application uses the turbine generator that is already established within the power plant, costs are kept low while fewer fossil fuel emission are produced.  There’s no need for transmission lines, a separate power block, or a new site location that building a stand-alone solar plant would require. 

With the potential to commercially integrate solar power into established grids without compromising the reliability of supply, this low-cost option also allows utilities to meet renewable energy regulatory targets, lower fuel costs, and reduce their carbon footprints.

EPRI will be showcasing its solar hybrid technology with two demonstration projects:

• The first to be hosted by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. at its 245-megawatt coal-fired Escalante Generating Station in Prewitt, New Mexico.
• The other will be hosted by NV Energy at its 1,102-megawatt natural gas-powered Chuck Lenzie Generating Station near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Interested to see how these pilot projects play out?  Check for updates at EPRI’s Newsroom.