Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Technologies

Owing to the fact that nearly all of the world’s electricity is generated by first heating a fluid, CSP technologies denote yet another means of generating a hot fluid by focusing the radiation either along a line or at a point, which can then be used downstream in conventional power generation equipments such as steam turbines or stirling engines (Hinkley et al., 2011).

Most Mature CSP Technology

Among the known CSP technologies (e.g., Parabolic Trough, Fresnel Reflector, Solar Tower and Solar Dish), the Parabolic Trough is the most commercially viable CSP technology and is based on parabolic mirrors that concentrate the sun’s rays on heat receivers located on the focal line (IEA-ETSAP and IRENA, 2013).

Owing to the fact that nearly all of the world’s electricity is generated by first heating a fluid, CSP technologies denote yet another means of generating a hot fluid by focusing the radiation either along a line or at a point, which can then be used downstream in conventional power generation equipments such as steam turbines or stirling engines (Hinkley et al., 2011).

Most Mature CSP Technology

Among the known CSP technologies (e.g., Parabolic Trough, Fresnel Reflector, Solar Tower and Solar Dish), the Parabolic Trough is the most commercially viable CSP technology and is based on parabolic mirrors that concentrate the sun’s rays on heat receivers located on the focal line (IEA-ETSAP and IRENA, 2013).