Fully indigenous Indian solar thermal grid

There is a need in India for maximum utilization of renewable energy sources using indigenous equipment. Solar Thermal Energy provides such an opportunity since needed mirrors, trackers & other required equipment are now being manufactured in India. Desert, arid & dry land in India is ideal site for Solar Thermal Plants avoiding encroachment of agricultural land. This paper attempts to look at the concept of interconnecting such Solar Thermal Plants to form a continuous energy grid. This grid unifies Solar Thermal heat capture, heat storage, transmission & usage. The Solar Thermal Grid is envisaged to be suitable to receive, store & transmit heat energy from various types of Solar Thermal Plants. The Solar Thermal Plants envisaged along the route are rated at 6MW Thermal each & located at 1km intervals. Thus around 3000 no's Solar Thermal Plants are envisaged along the 3000 km Hanumangarh- Kolar route & more can be further increased by addition of branches to the route. The Solar Thermal Grid is suitable for delivery of heat to present & future industries along the route.