Central
Receiver Test Facility
Operated
by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Central
Receiver Test Facility (CRTF) is a major location for developing
technology to produce electricity from the heat of the sun's
energy. This technology is expected to be commercially competitive
with other energy sources.
The
primary goal of the CRTF is to provide experimental engineering
data for the design, construction, and operation of unique
components and systems in proposed solar thermal electrical
plants planned for large-scale power generation.
As
the nation's prime test resource for the DOE program to develop
solar thermal electric power, the CRTF also serves other researchers,
including government contractors and agencies, research institutes,
universities, and private companies.
Key
features of the CRTF are its flexibility and broad capability
specifically, it is designed and instrumented to provide test
facilities for a variety of solar receivers and heliostats.
It is used for evaluating materials, for testing other energy
conversion techniques (such as photovoltaics and parabolic
dishes and troughs), and for developing unique chemical and metallurgical
processes.
Lisa Sena-Henderson
Last
Modified: 01/10/06