Sandstone Solar Energy Project

Sandstone Solar Energy Project
Country United States
Location Tonopah, Nye County, Nevada
Coordinates 37°54′N 116°42′W / 37.900°N 116.700°W / 37.900; -116.700Coordinates: 37°54′N 116°42′W / 37.900°N 116.700°W / 37.900; -116.700
Status Proposed
Construction began 2022 (2022) (planned)
Construction cost $5.0 billion
Owner(s) Sandstone Solar Energy, LLC (SolarReserve, LLC)
Solar field
Type CSP
CSP technology Solar power tower
Site area 20,000 acres (8,094 ha)
Site resource 2,685 kW·h/m2/yr[1]
Power generation
Units planned 8
Nameplate capacity 1,600 MW
Capacity factor 40.0% (planned)
Storage capacity 10 hours
Annual net output 5,600 GW·h (planned)
Website
www.solarreserve.com/en/global-projects/csp/sandstone

The Sandstone Solar Energy Project is a up to 1,600 megawatt (MW) solar thermal power project with 16 gigawatt-hours of energy storage,[2] planned just to the east of Tonopah, about 170 miles (270 km) northwest of Las Vegas. The project will have up to eight 200 MW solar towers with integrated molten salt energy storage technology. The project, developed by SolarReserve and owned by Sandstone Solar Energy, LLC. was anticipated to cost about $5 billion. Planned energy output is 5,600 GW·h per year.[3]

The project includes heliostats that collect and focus the sun's thermal energy to heat molten salt flowing through a solar power tower. The molten salt circulates from the tower to a storage tank, where it is then used to produce steam and generate electricity. Excess thermal energy is stored in the molten salt and can be used to generate power for up to ten hours, including during the evening hours and when direct sunlight is not available. The storage technology also eliminates the need for any backup fossil fuels, such as natural gas.

Estimated construction start is in 2022. Each tower would be constructed within a 24 month construction cycle, staggered 6 months, expecting about 5 and half years to complete.[4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  2. ↑ Botkin, Ben (9 August 2017). "California company submits plans to build solar facility in Nye County". www.reviewjournal.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "Sandstone". www.solarreserve.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  4. ↑ "Docket: 17-08003 - Original filing". pucweb1.state.nv.us. Nevada Public Utilities Commission. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  • "Sandstone". SolarReserve, LLC. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
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