In a large solar pond, the thermal capacitance and resistance can be made
large enough to retain the heat in the bottom layer from summer to winter
(Problem 6.3). The pond can therefore be used for heating buildings in the
winter. The pond has also many potential applications in industry, as a
steady source of heat at a moderately high temperature. It is also possible to
produce electricity from a solar pond by using a special ‘low temperature’
heat engine coupled to an electric generator. Such systems are conceptually
very similar to OTEC systems (Chapter 14). A solar pond at Beit Ha’Harava
in Israel produced a steady and reliable 5 MW(e) at a levelised cost of
around 30 USc/kWh) (Tabor and Doron, 1990).