CSP world map of power stations

Parabolic trough collectors will continue to dominate the CSP market over the coming years. Photo: Jan Gesthuizen First gigawatt exceeded The electrical capacity of the solar thermal power 1,800 MW was in the phase. This figure has risen to almost 2,300 MW this year. This repre- stations installed worldwide has exceeded one gigawatt. sents growth of a good 27 %, which is also a consid- The second gigawatt should be achieved fairly soon as erable increment. Since 440 MW of the projects that were under construction last year have now been put well. into operation, this means that the construction of ince & WIND published the first power stations with a capacity of 940 MW has been worldwide overview of solar thermal power started since the last survey. Correspondingly, Sstations last year, quite a lot has happened in projects with a capacity of 1,360 MW have been un- this sector. As we predicted back then, a true CSP der construction for at least a year. But there is no boom has set in. Last year the overview showed 147 reason to draw any negative conclusions from this as locations in 14 countries, whereas we commercial solar thermal power stations are almost can present 194 power stations in 24 countries on always big projects. Their construction period can this year’s map. thus easily last two to three years. But the figures re- The vigorous growth is demonstrated particularly veal that the capacity installed worldwide will rise to clearly by the installed capacity of CSP stations. In over 2 GW within two years at the latest. May 2010, a considerable 820 MW were already The figures for this project phase show that para- ­connected to the grid, but by May of this year, the bolic trough power stations will continue to be the ­figure had risen to almost 1,260 MW. This growth of standard technology in the medium term. With 53 % within one year is higher than the growth rate 1,826 MW, over 80 % of the projects in the construc- of any other form of . As in the past, tion phase are solar trough power stations (2010: most of the power stations in operation are based on 97 %). In absolute figures, this is almost the same ­parabolic trough collectors. With a capacity of just figure as last year (1,760 MW), but in relative terms it ­under 1,200 MW, they account for over 95 % of the is a strong decline of 17 %. The reason for this devel- power station capacity. This share is even slightly opment is that tower power stations with a total ca- higher than last year, when it was 94 %. The ­changes pacity of 423 MW are now under construction, which for the other power station types are corresponding- is over 400 MW more than last year. The American so- ly marginal or non-existent. lar power station developer BrightSource Energy is If the power station projects under construction primarily responsible for this; the company has start- are considered, a substantial increase is evident as ed building the three Ivanpah power stations in the well. Twelve months ago, a capacity of about ­Californian Mojave Desert. Taken together, these

92 Sun & Wind Energy 6/2011 power stations alone account for a capacity of Fig. 1: CSP plants in operationOperational 392 MW. Fresnel power plants and dish systems do not show any significant change in the project phase Fresnel; 9,40 Dish; 1,96 either and will thus remain a side issue for the time Tower 44 MW Fresnel 9.40 MW Dish 1.96 MW being. Tower; 44 Meanwhile, the category of power stations in the planning stage has grown by an impressive 94 % to Parabol 28.2 GW. There is, however, some uncertainty regard- Tower ing this figure. SUN & WIND ENERGY considers only Fresnel those power stations as planned for which the location Parabolic 1,201 MW Dish and the technology to be used are already known, i.e. for which a certain minimum level of preparation seems to have taken place. If pure declarations of intent were considered as well, several gigawatts could be added. But this figure is not really a conservative estimate ­either. For a large number of projects, it is unclear how Fig. 2: CSP plants underParabol constructionconstruction 1.201 far they are from realization, and the lead time for large- scale projects can sometimes be very long. In any case, Tower; 423 Fresnel; 32,50 Dish; 1,01 Parabol; 1.826 the high number indicates that the sector is actively try- Tower 423 MW Fresnel 32.50 MW Dish 1.01 MW ing to maintain a high growth rate. in solar fever

Spain is still the largest market for CSP stations. At Parabolic 1,826 MW present, over 730 MW are connected to the grid, more than 1,200 MW are under construction and almost 900 MW are in the planning stage. The size of this market is no coincidence. At about 27 €-ct/kWh over 20 years, the feed-in tariff is very generous. The only thing one might be surprised about is the fairly small number of power stations in the planning phase. This, Fig. 3: Planned CSP plants however, is due to the fact that the currently valid reg- planed ulations allow only those power stations to be built Fresnel; 583 that have already obtained pre-registration. New reg- Tower; 4.491 Dish; 1.092 istrations are not being accepted. Hence, it is current- Tower 4,491 MW Fresnel 583 MW Dish 1,092 MW ly impossible to initiate new projects. This regulation, however, will expire in 2013, and the industry is al- ready engaged in negotiations with the government for the time thereafter. One thing is certain: the feed- Parabolic 22,014 MW in tariff will be reduced. Last year, when funds for vir- tually all types of renewable energy were cut back, the CSP sector got away without severe cuts. This honey- moon period is surely to be finished in 2013. This is certainly the right thing in order to maintain the devel- Parabol; 22.014 opment pressure on the industry, and due to the tech- nical progress and the experience gained in recent thermal power stations with a capacity of 451 MW years the sector will be able to cope with moderate are currently connected to the grid, which is hardly cuts. The CSP industry will have a great interest in the any more than a year ago. The figure will probably re- abolishment of the size limit of 50 MW per power sta- main in this order of magnitude for quite a while, al- tion. According to calculations by the agency A.T. though more than 886 MW are currently under con- ­Kearney from the year 2010, a tenfold increase in ca- struction. The bulk of this capacity, however, is due pacity results in cost reductions of 21 to 24 % due to to two especially big projects: firstly, the aforemen- economies of scale. The follow-up regulation in Spain tioned tower power station Ivanpah, and secondly will probably not envisage power stations of such a the parabolic trough power plant Blythe from Solar large size, but even doubling the capacity per power Millennium with a capacity of 484 MW. Both projects plant can yield a cost advantage of 6 to 17 %. have been in the construction phase only for a short time. For both, it is planned to connect the first pow- Big projects and big problems er station block to the grid in 2013 and the second, in the USA and in the case of Ivanpah also the third, by 2014. All the other projects, except for a micro-CSP project on The USA is the world’s second-largest market, with Hawaii, are only demonstration projects. But there the south-west being particularly active. Here, solar are also many large-scale projects in that

Sun & Wind Energy 6/2011 93 CSP world map of power stations

Jülich Power Tower 1.5 MW

EuroDish Eibelstadt 0.01 MW Yulin Alternative EuroDish Themis Park Odeillo Power Tower 1.4 MW 92 MW 0.01 MW Badaling Tower Cameo coal-fired Alba Nova 34 MW 1 MW hybrid project 4 MW Ter mosolar Borges 22 MW Enolia crete 50 MW San Luis Valley 200 MW AlSol Nur Energie Tower 38 MW Himin Solar see map Saguache Solar Energy 145 MW 2 MW Enolia Shiraz Solar Thermal Factory 2.5 MW next page Archimede cyprus 50 MW Power Plant 0.5 MW Santa Teresa New Mexico Sun Tower 92 MW 4.72 MW Western Ranch Solar 27 MW ISCC Hassi R'Mel SEDC 5 MW Reliance Lanco Solar 100 MW Eckerd College 0.003 MW Moroco Power 100 MW Thermosolar Kuraymat Godavari Power 50 MW 22 MW 20 MW JOAN1 Rajasthan Solar Martin Next Generation 20 MW 100 MW Acme Bikanar Tower 10 MW Energy Centre 75 MW One 10 MW KSK Energy 100 MW Shams One Aurum Renewables 20 MW Holaniku at Keahole Point 0.1 MW 100 MW Keahole 5 MW Megha Engineering Solar Euromed 150 MW Plant 50 MW Solar Euromed 100 MW Kanchanaburi 5 MW Suphamburi 9 MW EuroDish Vellore 0.01 MW

Collinsville Power Mejillones 1 MW Station 150 MW Spain / Portugal Kogan Creek Solar Boost 44 MW Eskom Concentrated Pilot World map of solar La Florida 50 MW Solar Power project 100 MW clinic Lake Cargelligo Lidell Solar Central Solar Termo- 0.003 MW thermal power stations 3 MW eléctrica Cáceres 50 MW Majadas 50 MW La Risca 50 MW Thermal Station Whyalla Solar 3 MW Titan Tracker 0.02 MW 194 power stations in 24 countries Oasis 40 MW Solaben 2+3 2x50 MW Big Dish Solaben 1+6 2x50 MW Manchasol 1 50 MW Publisher: Sun & Wind Energy, www.sunwindenergy.com 0.32 MW Ter mosol II 50 MW Manchasol 2 50 MW Ter mosol I 50 MW ASTE 1A+1B 2x50 MW Layout: Eilers-Media, www.eilers-media.de La Dehesa 50 MW Helios I+II 2x50 MW Date: May 2011 Almadén 20 MW Sources: Company data, own research Astexol 2 50 MW Pl. Termosolar 5x10 MW Enerstar Villena 50 MW Olivenza 1 50 MW Casablanca Pl. Termosolar 12 MW Caption Consol Orellana 50 MW 50 MW Pl. Termosolar 8 MW PE1 1.4 MW Extremasol 1 50 MW Ibersol Ciudad Real 50 MW operational construction planing phase Moura Sol 1 4 MW PE2 30 MW Extresol 1 50 MW Palma del Casa del Ángel Thermosolar 0.99 MW Extresol 2 50 MW Rio 2 50 MW Solacor 1+2 2x50 MW Extresol 3 50 MW Planta Solar Termoelectrica 50 MW Torrefresneda 50 MW Tower El Reboso II La Africana 50 MWPalma del Rio 1 50 MW Santa Amalia 50 MW 50 MW Sol Guzman 50 MW Valdetorres 50 MW Andasol 1+2 2x50 MW Parabolic Solnova 1, 3+4 3x50 MW Helio- Andasol 3 50 MW Solnova 2+5 2x50 MW energy 1+2 EuroDish Almeria I 0.01 MW Fresnel Aznalcollar TH PS20 20 MW 2x50 MW 0.08 MW PS10 11 MW Gemasolar 17 MW ESI 0.01 MW Morón 50 MW Dish Lebria 1 50 MW Arenales PS 50 MW EuroDish Sevilla in combination with fossil Hybrid project 0.01 MW Valle 1 50 MW El Reboso III 50 MW fuel fired power plant Valle 2 50 MW

94 Sun & Wind Energy 6/2011 Jülich Power Tower 1.5 MW

EuroDish Eibelstadt 0.01 MW Yulin Alternative EuroDish Themis Solar Energy Park Odeillo Power Tower 1.4 MW 92 MW 0.01 MW Badaling Tower Cameo coal-fired Alba Nova 34 MW 1 MW hybrid project 4 MW Ter mosolar Borges 22 MW Enolia crete 50 MW San Luis Valley 200 MW AlSol Nur Energie Tower 38 MW Himin Solar see map Saguache Solar Energy 145 MW 2 MW Enolia Shiraz Solar Thermal Factory 2.5 MW next page Archimede cyprus 50 MW Power Plant 0.5 MW Santa Teresa New Mexico Sun Tower 92 MW 4.72 MW Western Ranch Solar 27 MW ISCC Hassi R'Mel SEDC 5 MW Reliance Lanco Solar 100 MW Eckerd College 0.003 MW Moroco Power 100 MW Thermosolar Kuraymat Godavari Power 50 MW 22 MW 20 MW JOAN1 Rajasthan Solar Martin Next Generation 20 MW 100 MW Acme Bikanar Tower 10 MW Energy Centre 75 MW One 10 MW KSK Energy 100 MW Shams One Aurum Renewables 20 MW Holaniku at Keahole Point 0.1 MW 100 MW Keahole Solar Power 5 MW Megha Engineering Solar Euromed 150 MW Plant 50 MW Solar Euromed 100 MW Kanchanaburi 5 MW Suphamburi 9 MW EuroDish Vellore 0.01 MW

Collinsville Power Mejillones 1 MW Station 150 MW Spain / Portugal Kogan Creek Solar Boost 44 MW Eskom Concentrated Pilot World map of solar La Florida 50 MW Solar Power project 100 MW clinic Lake Cargelligo Lidell Solar Central Solar Termo- 0.003 MW thermal power stations 3 MW eléctrica Cáceres 50 MW Majadas 50 MW La Risca 50 MW Thermal Station Whyalla Solar 3 MW Titan Tracker 0.02 MW 194 power stations in 24 countries Oasis 40 MW Solaben 2+3 2x50 MW Big Dish Solaben 1+6 2x50 MW Manchasol 1 50 MW Publisher: Sun & Wind Energy, www.sunwindenergy.com 0.32 MW Ter mosol II 50 MW Manchasol 2 50 MW Ter mosol I 50 MW ASTE 1A+1B 2x50 MW Layout: Eilers-Media, www.eilers-media.de La Dehesa 50 MW Helios I+II 2x50 MW Date: May 2011 Almadén 20 MW Sources: Company data, own research Astexol 2 50 MW Pl. Termosolar 5x10 MW Enerstar Villena 50 MW Olivenza 1 50 MW Casablanca Pl. Termosolar 12 MW Caption Consol Orellana 50 MW 50 MW Pl. Termosolar 8 MW PE1 1.4 MW Extremasol 1 50 MW Ibersol Ciudad Real 50 MW operational construction planing phase Moura Sol 1 4 MW PE2 30 MW Extresol 1 50 MW Palma del Casa del Ángel Thermosolar 0.99 MW Extresol 2 50 MW Rio 2 50 MW Solacor 1+2 2x50 MW Extresol 3 50 MW Planta Solar Termoelectrica 50 MW Torrefresneda 50 MW Tower El Reboso II La Africana 50 MWPalma del Rio 1 50 MW Santa Amalia 50 MW 50 MW Sol Guzman 50 MW Valdetorres 50 MW Andasol 1+2 2x50 MW Parabolic Solnova 1, 3+4 3x50 MW Helio- Andasol 3 50 MW Solnova 2+5 2x50 MW energy 1+2 EuroDish Almeria I 0.01 MW Fresnel Aznalcollar TH PS20 20 MW 2x50 MW 0.08 MW PS10 11 MW Gemasolar 17 MW ESI 0.01 MW Morón 50 MW Dish Lebria 1 50 MW Arenales PS 50 MW EuroDish Sevilla in combination with fossil Hybrid project 0.01 MW Valle 1 50 MW El Reboso III 50 MW fuel fired power plant Valle 2 50 MW

Sun & Wind Energy 6/2011 95 CSP world map of power stations

got all the necessary permits at the end of 2010 and cut back the support for green energy drastically in the construction of which could in theory begin soon. order to reduce the budget deficit. Because the USA focuses primarily on very large The projects that have been approved in California projects in order to benefit, for example, from econ- so far also have to struggle with other difficulties. All omies of scale, the necessary capital expenditure is of them received permission via a so-called fast-track very high. Since solar thermal power stations are a procedure, among other things in order to meet dead- rather new technology from the point of view of po- lines related to financial support from the government. tential investors, financing the projects is corre- Environmental groups as well as Native Americans spondingly difficult. Therefore, loan guarantees from have an issue with this procedure. They have com- the American Department of Energy are extremely plaints in the cases of a whole series of projects. For important. The scale on which these can be granted example, the construction works on two of the three in the future is somewhat uncertain, however. In Ivanpah power stations had to be interrupted in order principle, the Obama administration is very open to to remove protected desert tortoises from the con- renewable , but it cannot make decisions struction site. In Arizona, too, several projects are on a about the national budget without involving the fast-track list. Here, the turbo-permission will probably ­Republican opposition. And the latter would like to give rise to subsequent complications as well.

World map of solar thermal power stations 194 power stations in 24 countries Nevada Publisher: Sun & Wind Energy, www.sunwindenergy.com

Alpine Sun Tower 92 MW Harper Lake Layout: Eilers-Media, www.eilers-media.de Gaskell Sun Tower I 105 MW Solar Plant Date: May 2011 Gaskell Sun Tower II 140 MW 250 MW Cresent Dunes Solar Sources: Company data, own research Sierra Sun Tower 5 MW Energy Project 110 MW Amargosa Farm Caption Road Solar Energy Project 1+2 484 MW operational construction planing phase

Ivanpah SEGS I 126 MW Tower Solar Electric SEGS II 133 MW Generation SEGS III California Station (I-IX) 133 MW Parabolic 350 MW Coyote Ft.Irwin Solar Springs 1 Fresnel Power Project 200 MW 500 MW Coyote Dish Ridgecrest Springs 2 Solar Power 200 MW in combination with fossil Hybrid project fuel fired power plant Project Nevada 242 MW Solar One Beacon Solar Energy Project 250 MW 75 MW Hualapai valley solar 340 MW Kimberlina Solar Calico Bouse 1,000 MW Thermal Plant 5 MW Solar MountainSpring 250 MW Arizona 100 MW Kingman project 200 MW Quartzside Solar Energy 100 MW Mojave Horizon 250 MW Solar Wildcat Harcuvar South 1-4 800 MW Palmdale Hybrid Power Project 62 MW Park Black Rock Hill 600 MW New Victorville Hybrid Power Project 50 MW 553 MW Harquahala 500 MW Mojave Solar 250 MW Horizon Aguila 250 MW Mexico Rice Solar Energy Aguila 500 MW Project 150 MW Eagletail 1,500 MW Genesis Solar Energy Project 250 MW Centennial 500 MW LSR Jackrabbit 500 MW Solar Three 550 MW Maricopa Solar Plant 1.5 MW SolarCat Pilot Plant 10 MW Mt. Signal Solar 50 MW Sonoran Solar Energy Project 375 MW Palen Solar Power Crossroads Solar Energy 150 MW Project 484 MW Saguaro Power Plant 1.16 MW Blythe Solar 1+2 484 MW UA Tech Park thermal storage Blythe Solar 3+4 484 MW demonstration project 5 MW Burnt Mountain 500 MW Big Horn 900 MW Hyder Valley 300 MW Agua Caliente 600 MW Solana 280 MW Buckeye Landfill 150 MW LSR Palo Verde 600 MW Little Horn 1,000 MW Dendora Valley 500 MW Ranegrase 2,000 MW La Posa Solar Thermal 2,000 MW Vicksburg 500 MW Quartzside 600 MW Palomas 500 MW Agua Prieta II Wildcat Quartzside 800 MW 12 MW MEXICO

96 Sun & Wind Energy 6/2011 MENA region focuses on hybrid are in the rest of the world. Two of power plants the four Solar Flagship projects, for example, are based on Fresnel collec- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is still con- tors. The only CSP power station in the sidered a highly promising region. As a potential lo- megawatt capacity range that is currently cation for large solar power stations, it has been in operation, Lidell Solar Thermal Station, is made known primarily by the Desertec Initiative, also based on Fresnel technology. which envisages covering up to 15 % of the European There are also some very interesting research Gopherus agassizii: demand from solar power stations and projects and new developments in Australia. Wizard The Californian desert wind turbines located here. Its advantage is especial- Power, for example, has rejected the commonly held tortoise and other desert ly that rich industrialized countries in stand belief that parabolic dishes should be equipped with animals need to be behind the development. In principle, the MENA Stirling engines. Instead, the extremely large collec- protected, regardless of countries also have an interest of their own in build- tors – with 500 m² of area – focus the climate protection. ing solar thermal power stations. The region’s de- onto steam receivers. Unlike other current Stirling Photo: Tigerhawkvok /Wikipedia mand for energy is rising quickly and there is also the systems, this Big Dish System is thus equipped with option of using CSP stations for sea water desalina- a transfer fluid via which heat can be stored so tion. But since most of the countries are very poor, that electricity can be produced at or on cloudy they have trouble raising the money needed, also be- days. It therefore distances itself somewhat from di- cause the initial investment for CSP stations is con- rect competition with . The first 40 MW siderably higher than for power plants. project is set to be realized close to the town of Hence, all of the first power stations that are in oper- ­Whyalla in South Australia, a region with an increas- ation are hybrid or demonstration projects. In North ing energy demand due to new mining and industrial Africa, there are already three of the so-called ISCC projects. (Integrated Solar Combined Cycle) power stations. At The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and each of them, a 20 MW solar array consisting of para- ­Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is working bolic trough collectors, supplies heat to an otherwise on an interesting new development. The idea is to conventional gas-fired power station. In Iran, which is make the Brayton Cycle available for use in tower home to a 500 kW demonstration power plant, there power stations. Such power plants on the basis of the are also plans for such an ISCC power station. At the Brayton Cycle do not work with steam, but with com- location Yazd, a gas fired power station with a capac- pressed air, which drives a gas turbine. These power ity of about 450 MW is currently under construction. stations do not need any cooling and work at temper- Later, a 17 MW solar array will be added here. But the atures above 900 °C. In addition to the high efficien- construction of the power station is experiencing cy resulting from the , they can also op- quite a few difficulties, as Ali Baghernejad of Shiraz erate in areas where water is scarce. University reports. The economic embargoes that Even though it is not clear what the future will have been put on Iran because of the country’s nucle- bring in the large markets of Spain and the USA, and ar programme are a burden on this project, too. even though it is currently difficult to make predic- tions for the important MENA region, the power sta- Australia tion builders have well-filled pipelines. The second gigawatt is within reach and an active research land- Australia is slowly getting into solar energy. The cur- scape is waiting to turn new technologies into com- rent government has started the so-called Solar Flag- mercial and demonstration projects over the next few ship Programme, which, in addition to photovoltaics, years. The CSP world is still an exciting one. also envisages the construction of large CSP power Jan Gesthuizen stations. The Australian government plans to spend a total of AUD 4.5 billion (AUD 1 = € 0.75) on pushing forward renewable energies. Of this, 1.5 billion are earmarked for four large projects. In the first round, the construction of one solar thermal and one photo- Conference tip: CSP Today USA Summit voltaic project is planned. For the CSP project there are currently four competing proposals for which the The Summit takes place every year in the USA. This government is providing a total of AUD 15 million to year, what is probably the most important CSP industry event will be held in finance feasibility studies. The funds from the Las Vegas from the 29th to 30th of June. Over 600 visitors from science and in- ­Flagship Programme will cover up to a third of the dustry are expected to attend. The key themes of the conference will be com- ­investment costs. In the first round the projects do petition between CSP and PV, the Loan Guarantee Programme and CSP not have to be able to store energy, but those that can project development. Important speakers include Fred Morse, Director US Op- will receive particular attention. erations at Abengoa­ Solar, Bill Conlon, Vice President of Engineering at Areva Even though in Australia there is not yet much ca- and Charlie Ricker, Senior Vice President at BrightSource Energy. pacity installed, and plans for power stations are still The CSP Today Awards will be presented for the second time at the confer- hanging in the balance, according to the current . This year, the awards will be extended in comparison to previous years ­status of planning and installations, parabolic trough and will be given in eight instead of five categories. power plants are much less dominant here than they

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