How exactly are you going to CHEAPLY collect and store energy for a 1400+C process using solar thermal?

It seems like an huge advantage to use an 80% thermal setup vs a 22% efficient panel, but we gave up on solar power towers for a bunch of reasons. With PV things are a lot more straightforward because you can reach nearly any temperature at equal efficiency.

The parent correctly notes that you can't use solar thermal directly for industrial processes because it won't get hot enough and that it's easier to retrofit electric infrastructure than a bunch of mirrors and optics.

Grandparent:

> These are unique it seems because they're durable electric heating elements that can hit industrial process temperatures and might be cheaper then alternatives?

Storage usually makes less sense, but depends on capital cost per kW-hr right? No idea on the economics of that, but an electric heater can get hotter than solar thermal and use much less space at the point of use.

They are durable electric heating elements that can get hotter than solar thermal and hit industrial temperatures without using fossil fuels to heat locally with fire.