Solar thermal stores heat from the sun into molten salt to be used as needed to generate power through conventional steam turbines. Thus, it can generate power any time day or night, even when the sun isn’t shining. This is a zero emissions process and the salt itself is completely non-toxic.

Renewable Energy World has an fact-filled article about how solar thermal works written by the director of development at SolarReserve, who have a 1200 acre solar thermal plant. Their website has a wealth of information.

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New power plants ordered by Pacific Gas and Electric Company in California will generate renewable power constantly using solar thermal plus steam turbines powered by biofuel from the nearby Central Valley. Thus they will be able to create electricity anytime, even when the sun isn’t out, and will each use a whopping 250,000 tons of agricultural waste, green waste, and animal manure annually as biofuel. Wow.

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