Energy Department to pay $52.5 million for 24/7 solar power - San Francisco Business Times:

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million for research, development and demonstration of concentratinh solar power systems that can deliver power Concentrating solar power systems concentratethe sun’s rays onto a fixes point and use the heat produced to creatse steam that turns turbines to produce energy. In the Bay companies including Oakland-based , San Francisco-based and Livermore-base have all developed concentrating solar technologhthat they’re working to commercialize. A tougher how to make the sun shineat night? The D.O.E. said low-cost energy storage can allow thesd systems to deliver power producef duringthe day, after the sun goes down.
There’sx at least one Bay Area company workinvgon this: , with its U.S. headquarters in Berkeley, is developinhg solar thermal trough technology with moltebn salt energystorage capabilities. The D.O.E. will award money for research and development of conceptas and components that cause a solar plant to produced power at least 18 hours ofthe day, and will also pitc h in for prototype development for an 18-hour-per-day-or-more The D.O.E said it will make up to 13 projectf awards totaling up to $52.5 million out of its annualk budget.