Computational methods for analysis and optimization of solar thermal energy collection and storage technologies

尽管能源生产产生的温室气体排放对环境构成了日益紧迫的威胁，但全球对能源的需求仍在迅速增长。虽然近年来可再生能源部门增长显著，目前占总能源供应的14%，但为了实现温室气体排放的新目标，必须保持这种增长。目前大多数可再生能源组合由水力发电、生物燃料和废物组成，而地热、太阳能、风能和热能仍然占总能源供应的不到2%。考虑到太阳向地球提供的能量比满足社会能源需求所需的能量多出许多倍，太阳能的相对缺乏尤其令人感兴趣。

The global demand for energy continues to increase rapidly, despite the fact that greenhouse gas emissions from energy production pose an increasingly urgent threat to the environment. While the renewable energy sector has grown significantly in recent years, and now makes up 14% of the total energy supply, this growth must be sustained in order to meet new targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the current renewable energy mix is made up of hydroelectric, biofuels, and waste, while geothermal, solar, wind, and heat energies still account for less than 2% of the total energy supply. The relative absence of solar energy is particularly intriguing, given that the sun delivers many times more energy to the earth than what is needed to satisfy society's energy needs.