Alternative Energies
Renewable energy sources apply, in addition to higher energy efficiency, as the most important pillar of sustainable energy policy and the introduced energy transition. They include hydropower, wind power, solar radiation, geothermal and renewable resources. In Germany, the share of renewable energy was in 2013 up to 25.4% in electricity generation. In the first half of 2014, a share of 31% was achieved in the German electricity generation in the electricity sector already.
Wind Power
In Germany, wind power energy occupies a large part of the renewable energy sources whose effectiveness would not be possible without ceramic hybrid bearings.
Solar Thermal Energy
Solar thermal energy plays more in the southern, equatorial countries a crucial role, where the average solar radiation is at least 2.000 kWh/m². In Central Europe, the operation of solar thermal power plants is economically viable only in southern Spain, southern Italy and Greece. Most solar thermal power plants using molten salts (nitrate salts, melting temperature around 400 °C operating temperature durable 500 … 600 °C) as a source of energy that is converted its heat via a heat exchanger into steam and finally converted into electricity via a steam turbine. Temperature resistant ceramic components made of ZrO2 / Z -513 being used in such systems in the area of the focal line of the parabolic mirror, at the same time guarantee both a thermal and electrical insulation of the absorber tubes.
