Concentrating Solar Power Tower: Latest Status

The paper examines design and operating data of current concentrated solar power (CSP) 11 solar tower (ST) plants. The study includes CSP with or without boost by combustion of natural gas 12 (NG), and with or without thermal energy storage (TES). The latest, actual specific costs per 13 installed capacity are very high, 6085 $/kW for Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) 14 with no TES, and 9227 $/kW for Crescent Dunes with TES. The actual production of electricity is 15 very low and much less than the expected. The actual capacity factors are 22% for ISEGS, despite 16 combustion of a significant amount of NG largely exceeding the planned values, and 13% for 17 Crescent Dunes. The design values were 33% and 52%. The study then reviews the proposed 18 technology updates to produce better ratio of solar field power to electric power, better capacity 19 factor, better matching of production and demand, lower plant’s cost, improved reliability and 20 increased life span of plant’s components. The key areas of progress are found in materials and 21 manufacturing processes, design of solar field and receiver, receiver and power block fluids, power 22 cycle parameters, optimal management of daily and seasonal operation of the plant, new TES 23 concepts, integration of solar plant with thermal desalination, integration of solar plant with 24 combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) installations and finally, specialization and regionalization of 25 the project specification. 26