Portugal solar auction could lead to first Concentrated Solar Power plant

Value-based bidding, favorable site conditions and Spanish engineering has carved a fresh opening for Concentrated Solar Power build, market experts told Reuters Events. Portugal launched its delayed second solar auction last month, tendering for 700 MW of new capacity across 12 sites in Southern Portugal. A vehicle drives past giant mirrors before the inauguration ceremony …

Industry Shares its Experience to Advance Next Generation Concentrated Solar Power

Engineers generally tend to be solutions-oriented, and engineers in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) are no different. A history of making things better than they were is why we now have advanced technologies. As Hal Harvey, founder of Energy Innovation told the NYT opinion columnist Tom Friedman: “A prime difference between the Enlightenment and the Dark …

The Concentrated Solar Power industry has become increasingly diverse

The Concentrated Solar Power industry has become increasingly diverse geographically, in terms of the location of commercial plants as well as the origins of developers, investors and contractors involved in project implementation. CSP projects that either entered operations or were under construction during 2019 involved lead developers and investors from at least eight countries including …

Concentrated Solar Power capacity grew 11% in 2019 to 6.2 GW

Global Concentrated Solar Power capacity grew 11% in 2019 to 6.2 GW, with 600 MW of capacity coming online. Although this was well below the average annual increase (24%) of the past decade, Concentrating Solar Power continued to spread to new markets, including France, Israel and Kuwait. China and South Africa also brought new plants …

Producing aviation fuels from water, CO2 and the power of the sun

The SUN-to-LIQUID project is developing a technology that produces aviation fuels from water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and the power of the sun. How could this technology be explained to a high school student? Concentrated solar radiation is absorbed in a solar reactor that converts water and CO2 into synthesis gas – a gas mixture comprising …

Spain’s electricity demand falls 8.5% in June

Wind energy power represented 17.3%, concentrated solar power 3.9% and photovoltaic 9.2%. Spain’s electricity demand fell 8.5% in June. 43.9% of the monthly generation was from renewable sources and 63.5% were produced from technologies that do not emit CO2 equivalent. The demand for electrical energy decreased in the Balearic Islands by 33.3% and in the …

U.S. unveils global Concentrated Solar Power learnings

The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) published June 12 the world’s first global best practice report for Concentrated Solar Power plants. The report sets out recommendations to improve the performance and reliability of Concentrating Solar Power tower and trough plants, using feedback from 80% of global CSP capacity. Many of the problems faced by …

World’s First Utility-Scale Molten Salt Fresnel Concentrated Solar Power Plant Connects to China’s Grid

The China Dunhuang Dacheng 50MW molten salt linear Fresnel CSP project plant has now officially begun commercial operation on June 19, 2020. To celebrate the occasion of commercial operation of the first ever molten salt Fresnel CSP occasion, the developers and contractors held a commissioning ceremony. First in the world, the 50MW molten salt Fresnel …

Concentrated Solar Power builders modify tower storage to combat heat swings

Global learnings on the impact of ‘transient’ risks on Concentrated Solar Power tower systems are driving improved storage tank piping and all-welding techniques, experts told New Energy Update. In a bid to accelerate deployment, the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) published June 12 the world’s first best practices report for CSP plants. NREL researchers …

Shanghai Electric installs molten salt receiver for 700 MW concentrated solar power (CSP) project in Dubai

China’s Shanghai Electric Group has completed the installation of the molten salt receiver (MSR) on top of the tower for the 950-MW Noor Energy 1 concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) project in Dubai. The tower-related construction was finalised in record 240 days despite needing to implement additional safety procedures due to the coronavirus …