Suitability of Salt-Gradient Solar Ponds for Electrical Power Generation in the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Guam, and American Samoa

摘要

The procedures and findings of a study to assess the suitability of salt-gradient solar ponds for base-load (firm) electricity generation in the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), Guam and American Samoa are described. The general conclusion is that solar pond power plants (SPPPs) are viable both technically and economically for some applications, possibly including atolls. The most practical immediate application would be to small and intermediate power users such as villages and airports. It is recommended that (1) at least one small SPPP be built immediately on a dry land site such as for the main village on Peleliu, Palau, (considered in this report) or at other identified feasible sites, and (2) that a design study be conducted to adapt the technology to atoll sites. This study was carried out by first reviewing all available literature on solar ponds and the regions concerned. All the regions in question were visited. Several sites were selected for specific study and SPPP conceptual designs were developed for these sites. These sites are (1) North Peleliu, Palau, with (2) Peleliu airport as an auxiliary site, (3) Aimeliik, Palau, and (4) atoll environments. Cultural, political, environmental and legal considerations were given equal weight with technical and economic factors, and locally resident persons were used as interpreters and liaisons. There exists strong support in the government and the community to develop these proposed site-specific SPPPs and land is available. Power needs were defined, construction and operation costs were calculated and performance was predicted for the site-specific designs. The results of the Palau site-specific studies were generalized to other areas and environments in the TTPI, Guam and American Samoa. An economic analysis of the SPPP conceptual design developed for Palau was made using the discounted cash flow method. (ERA citation 08:031515)