Solar Power: The Ultimate Guide to Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Concentrated solar power (CSP) collects solar heat. It uses mirrors to focus sunlight onto a receiver. We also call this concentrating solar thermal. This intense heat creates electric solar power. CSP helps with many uses, like cooking or desalination.

How CSP Generates Electricity

The concentrated light creates great heat. This heat is solar thermal energy. This energy then drives a heat engine. This might be a steam turbine. The process works much like a coal or gas power station. An electrical generator then creates usable power.

CSP vs. Photovoltaics (PV)

CSP differs greatly from standard solar PV. PV has installed capacity of about 1 terawatt globally. CSP capacity reached only 8.1 GW by 2023. PV saw massive growth during the 2010s. CSP growth has been much slower. This slow pace is due to high prices and technical issues. CSP makes up less than 2% of total solar electricity plants.

The Power of Thermal Storage

CSP offers a huge advantage: thermal energy storage. This storage saves energy as heat. Molten salt is a very common storage medium. This system lets CSP produce electricity at night. CSP energy is thus “dispatchable.” Dispatchable energy is crucial for stable grids. It solves the issue where power demand peaks at sunset. We call this the “duck curve” phenomenon.

Historical Innovations in CSP

People used concentrated solar energy centuries ago. An old legend speaks of Archimedes. He supposedly used a “burning glass” in 212 BC. This potentially repelled the Roman fleet. Historians generally doubt this impressive story. Auguste Mouchout created the first solar steam engine in 1866. He used a parabolic trough design. Frank Shuman built a large thermal station in Egypt in 1913. This powerful 55-horsepower system helped with irrigation. The first modern plant opened in Italy in 1968. Professor Giovanni Francia built this power tower architecture.

Modern CSP Technologies

Modern CSP relies on four main types of optical design. These include the solar power tower and parabolic trough. We also see dish systems and Fresnel reflectors.

Parabolic Trough Systems

The parabolic trough concentrates light onto a tube. A working fluid flows through this receiver. This fluid heats up to 350°C. This is the most mature CSP technology. The SEGS plants in California used this reliable method for decades.

Solar Power Tower Systems

A solar power tower uses many moving mirrors, called heliostats. They focus intense sunlight onto a central receiver. This sits high atop a tower structure. The fluid heats up to 1000°C. Higher heat means better efficiency. Molten salt is often the transfer fluid here.

CSP Competes with Gas and Batteries

CSP technology is becoming very cost-effective. Recent auctions in Chile had prices below $50/MWh. CSP now often competes with PV plus battery storage. It also competes directly with natural gas. Its ability to store power for 3 to 12 hours is vital. We offer products to help you transition to clean energy. Shop Our Products today! Want to learn more about renewables? Read Our Blog.

Conclusion

CSP provides reliable, dispatchable power. It holds a critical place in balanced energy grids.

Reference: Inspired by content from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentrated_Solar_Power.