The Step-up, Step-down trap…
This is the way the most energy systems in the world are built today – Electricity grids take the voltage all the way up to 11 KV (11000V), 33 KV (33000V) and 66 KV (66000V). Your home consumption may be at 230V (India) or 110 V (USA) and so on. But, we use a transformer next to the consumption point and step it down.
Same way, many companies run long steam lines or thermic fluid lines that are generated in a central boiler plant – at 150 Deg C to 250 Deg C. This high temperature steam/thermic fluid pipe is very similar to the high voltage grid.
But, the end use is usually at lower temperature levels. Much like our electricity – where our usage voltage is low. Say, metal pre-treatment is at 60-70 Deg C. Washing is at 50 Deg C and so on.
If we can interrupt it at lower temperature level and produce energy, why should we not do it?
That is what we have done in our Wheels India Padi installation. We stop the high temperature thermic fluid lines, and instead run the low temperature process using solar heaters that produce the requisite lower temperatures.