In spite of the parabolic trough being the most mature and widely deployed of all concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies – accounting for no less than 95.6% of the current global installed MW capacity of CSP – only a small number of developers and EPC contractors know the real costs of the parabolic trough. Consequently, investors are finding it difficult to decide whether or not to back future projects using this technological solution.
Meanwhile, with solar tower’s growing market share set to alter the CSP technological landscape and claims that it could represent CSP’s most viable route towards grid-parity mounting, the eyes of the industry are increasingly zooming in on this technology. Yet, currently there exists a critical lack of transparency surrounding the cost and performance parameters of solar tower technology as well.
The conundrum is that in revealing such sensitive information developers fear undermining their competitiveness within the industry, yet in withholding such information the competitiveness and development of the industry is undermined.
As a result, CSP Today has taken up the challenge of producing two technology reports which provide just such information such as: current and projected LCOE, a comprehensive cost breakdown data from CAPEX to OPEX, and performance sensitivity analysis.
The reports also set out which CSP technology offers the most viable route to grid-parity, expected penetration levels of each technology, and the latest R&D initiatives and technological advancements set to optimize performance and reduce costs.
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