Energy & Environment II

HW#4

Due, Friday, February 1, 2002

Suppose you are an investment counselor, advising clients having an interest in renewable energy. What would you advise them regarding investment in Solar Thermal Electric Power-Plants based on Trough Technology? Prepare a paper (of 2-3 pages length, double-spaced, typed) that summaries the technology, its history and current status, its economic competitiveness for generating electricity, and its possibilities for the future.

For preparing your paper, you might wish to consult the following web sites:

www.energylan.sandia.gov/sunlab/documents.htm

www.energylan.sandia.gov/sunlab/Snapshot/TROUGHS.HTM

www.energylan.sandia.gov/sunlab/PDFs/solar_trough.pdf

www.nrel.gov/docs/fy99osti/26649.pdf

Be sure to reference in your paper the information used.