ANALYSIS I CSP
Concentrated Growth
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) sometimes gets overlooked as the battle of thin film versus silicon often hogs the limelight. CSP has other ideas than being left in the shadows as this outline from Globa Data demonstrates, continued growth is expected for the sector.
C
SP is an upcoming renewable market which promises to provide cost-effective power
generation with improved efficiency. The global CSP market is highly concentrated, with the US and Spain dominating the market. Strong government support through financial incentives has driven market growth in these nations. The Southwest US has the most potential for CSP generation. Other areas with significant potential include the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and areas in Eastern and Central Asia.
The global CSP market grew from 354.0MW in 2001 to 1,153.4MW in 2010, at a CAGR of 14.0% from 2001–2010. However, planned projects from 2011 onwards are expected to increase the CAGR to 50.9% from 2010–2020. The cumulative installed capacity of CSP is expected to grow from 1,153.4MW in 2010 to 70,833MW in 2020.
Aside from land and environmental constraints, high capital costs and grid infrastructure play an important role in deciding the future growth of the CSP market. A major challenge for the CSP market is grid connectivity. Grid connectivity requires the establishment of grid infrastructure to connect CSP facilities to power consumers. Most potential sites for CSP installations are located in desert areas where the establishment of grid infrastructure is difficult. For example, the proposed Sahara Desertec project in Sahara region is expected to provide energy to Europe and Mediterranean countries.
Many CSP projects are cancelled in the planning stages due to transmission constraints, or are downscaled or converted into solar PV technology which is more attractive to investors. In June 2010, construction of the Alpine SunTower, a 92MW solar thermal power plant that was under development by eSolar, Inc.
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www.solar-pv-management.com I Issue X 2011
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