Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Solar Energy News .




SOLAR DAILY
Economic Value of Concentrating Solar Power with Storage
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 24, 2012


File image.

The Concentrating Solar Power Alliance (CSPA), an advocacy organization dedicated to educating U.S. regulators, utilities and grid operators about the unique benefits of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) and of thermal energy storage, has issued a technical report titled, "The Economic and Reliability Benefits of CSP with Thermal Energy Storage: Recent Studies and Research Needs."

At over 100 pages, the thorough report summarizes a broad cross-section of analysis conducted by the national energy labs and academic institutions. The objective of the report is to assist in the translation of the available studies and provide a more comprehensive framework that regulators and utilities can use for solar valuation purposes.

"This report comes at a time when utilities and grid operators are evaluating the true cost and operational impacts of higher penetrations of variable resources," said Tex Wilkins, Executive Director of the CSP Alliance.

"The independent research compiled from the national labs and universities, as well as the findings shared by CSP companies, shows that CSP with storage will be a very important, valuable resource for utilities and grid operators as different countries aim to achieve clean energy goals."

The report highlights the benefits of CSP with thermal energy storage, including provision of energy and ancillary services and enhanced capacity credits. It also covers avoidance of system integration costs incurred by intermittent renewable resources such as wind and solar photovoltaics, support for power quality, and possible additional benefits, such as improved long-term reductions in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to portfolios without dispatchable clean resources.

Among the report's key conclusions:

+ Recent research finds that at low renewable penetration levels, thermal storage adds energy and ancillary service value to a CSP plant. These benefits are in the range of $5-10/MWh, depending on the plant design and the region studied. CSP with thermal storage also has significantly higher capacity value when compared to variable solar resources.

+ At higher solar penetration levels, studies show that the comparative economic value of incremental CSP with storage diverges dramatically from incremental solar PV additions, possibly increasing to $30/MWh or higher as penetrations increase. This finding is critical for the development of the solar portfolio in regions with high solar potential.

+ As renewable penetrations increase, the operational flexibility offered by CSP could support integration of wind and solar photovoltaics. In particular, some studies have pointed to the possibility of curtailment of solar energy at high penetrations, which could be reduced by maintaining dispatchable solar resources in the portfolio.

As regulators, utilities and grid operators consider their future energy portfolio mix and procurement decisions, they are increasingly applying a "net system cost" methodology when evaluating resources, which considers factors such as system integration and reliability under different scenarios.

The findings presented in this report will contribute to the evolution of those methodologies and a more appropriate valuation of a dispatchable, clean resource such as CSP with thermal energy storage.

"The purpose of this report is to synthesize the current study findings and identify some additional research needs. A robust body of research is available and demonstrates that CSP with storage provides additional economic and reliability value to utilities and grid operators when compared to other renewable investments," said Dr. Udi Helman, Director of Economic and Pricing Analysis, BrightSource Energy.

"CSP's ability to reduce its costs through commercial deployment, coupled with its long-term economic and reliability value when compared to other renewables, helps position this technology as a key component of a low carbon energy mix."

Download the full report, including a comprehensive list of literature, studies and research used in the report.

.


Related Links
CSPA Alliance
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








SOLAR DAILY
Trina Solar Improves Medical Treatment for 85,000 People in Malawi
London, UK (SPX) Dec 24, 2012
Trina Solar has announced the donation of solar modules to three health care centres in Malawi servicing over 85,000 people. Together with partner Innovation: Africa, Trina Solar will make clean energy available to two remote medical centres and a community-based organisation offering HIV/AIDS support, vocational training, adult education, orphan care and more. In combination with a storag ... read more


SOLAR DAILY
Discovery May Pave Way to Genetically Enhanced Biofuel Crops

NC State Study Offers Insight Into Converting Wood to Bio-Oil

Can Algae-Derived Oils Support Large-Scale, Low-Cost Biofuels Production?

Plastic packaging industry is moving towards completely bio-based products

SOLAR DAILY
Smart SPHERES Fly High Aboard the International Space Station

DARPA developing robotic mule

Flexing fingers for micro-robotics: Berkeley Lab scientists create a powerful, microscale actuator

Head-mounted cameras could help robots understand social interactions

SOLAR DAILY
China's wind towers face U.S. tariffs

Offshore wind power: AREVA and STX France ally their expertise

US confirms duties on 1towers from China, Vietnam

Ground broken on Irish Midlands wind farm

SOLAR DAILY
Red racer Ferrari joins green revolution

Volvo Cars says avoiding loss this year 'very difficult'

New Factor could Limit the Life of Hybrid and Electric Car Batteries

Ultrasound can now monitor the health of your car engine

SOLAR DAILY
Russia unveils $25 bn oil link to Pacific

Iran begins naval war games: reports

Quest to Find New Uses for Abundant Natural Gas

Iran warns of cancelling $5 bn China gas deal: media

SOLAR DAILY
Asian bids 'closer' to winning Turkey nuclear plant project

Japan anti-nuclear vote melts away

Japan's incoming pro-nuclear PM 'to review Fukushima'

Quake risk at Japan atomic recycling plant: experts

SOLAR DAILY
Definition of sustainable organic biogas reached

Indian washermen spin out decades-old tradition

National Grid Creates Big Questions for Transmission Industry

Zimbabwe and China ink $400 mn electricity deal

SOLAR DAILY
Oldest timber constructions unearthed

Scientists Use Satellite Data to Map Invasive Species in Great Lakes Wetlands

Cloud forest trees drink water through their leaves

More bang for bugs




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement