Renewable Energy Technologies: Cost Analysis Series - Concentrating Solar Power

Author: 

IRENA

Year: 

2012

Main Geographic Focus: 

International

RE&EE Category Taxonomy: 

  • Concentrated Solar Power

File Tag: 

  • Market analysis

Descrição: 

 

Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants are capital intensive, but have virtually zero fuel costs. Parabolic trough plant without thermal energy storage have capital costs as low as USD 4 600/kW, but low capacity factors of between 0.2 and 0.25. Adding six hours of thermal energy storage increases capital costs to between USD 7 100/kW to USD 9 800/kW, but allows capacity factors to be doubled. Solar tower plants can cost between USD 6 300 and USD 10 500/kW when energy storage is between 6 and 15 hours. These plant can achieve capacity factors of 0.40 to as high as 0.80.

Document Language: 

English