Feasibility Study of Solar Energy Steam Generator for Rural Electrification

Abstract

In Middle East region, where there are plentiful amounts of solar radiation and great desert areas, solar energy can play a potential role in replacing conventional fuel-operated electricity generation methods with a cost-effective, sustainable solution. This paper presents a feasibility study of a low-cost solar energy steam generator for rural areas electrification. The proposed system is based on the use of trough concentrator which converts ‎solar radiation into thermal energy in its focal line (where a receiver pipe is installed with a fluid flowing in its interior). The aim of the paper is to predict the feasibility and potential for steam generation using a stand-alone solar concentrator with a small dimension for domestic and small-scale electricity generation...