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Concentrating Solar Power

Concentrating solar thermal power and fuels will be part of the energy technology revolution necessary to mitigate climate change while ensuring affordable energy supply. The ETP BLUE Map scenario, which assessed strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by half in 2050, concluded that CSP will provide several percent of the necessary emissions reductions to achieve stabilisation in the most cost-effective manner. CSP requires strong sunshine and clear skies. Thanks to its thermal storage and hybridisation possibilities, CSP provides firm and dispatchable electricity.

Key Points

  • CSP would grow from less than 1 gigawatt (GW) installed capacity today to several hundreds GW by 2050
  • CSP requires excellent direct normal insolation from the Sun, mostly met in the 15° to 35° latitude bands. High-voltage direct-current lines may be used to send solar electricity from locations with excellent resource (e.g. southwestern USA, North Africa, etc.) to large consumption centres (e.g. other areas in the US, Europe, etc.)
  • Some CSP technologies (“troughs”), are commercially mature several others are emerging (towers, Fresnel reflectors, dishes)
  • Thermal storage and back-up from fuels (whether fossil or from biomass) allow CSP to provide for firm and dispatchable electricity. Few-hour storage allows for extending power production to late night peak or shoulder loads. Larger storage permits base load power
  • CSP is expected to provide a kWh competitive with fossil fuel plants for peak and intermediate loads by 2015 in excellent resource sites. Competitiveness with baseload could be achieved by 2020, depending on how CO2 emissions are priced
  • Lowering the costs of CSP requires significant research and development efforts with respect to mirrors, heliostats, linear or point focus receivers, and power blocks
  • Solar fuels could be produced in large concentrated solar plants and mixed with more conventional resources in gas networks and liquid fuels. Together with CSP, solar fuels would thus increase the solar share in the global energy mix. However, large-scale production of solar fuels still requires several years of research and development efforts
Details, recommendations, and metrics are contained in the CSP Roadmap Report that will be published by the end of 2009/beginning of 2010.

Publications and Papers   Additional Information
  •    Present and Future Use of Solar Thermal Energy as a Primary Source of Energy  2005
  •    International Energy Technology Collaboration and Climate Change Mitigation  2004
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  • CSP Roadmap contact
  • General information contact
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    Speeches    
  • The Role of CSP in IEA Climate Change Mitigating Scenarios  2009
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