Cost and performance of CSP and PV plants of capacity above 100 MW operating in the United States of America

Abstract

• CSP and PV not competitive but complementary technologies. • PV is cheaper at about 3 c/kWh but only available daytime. • CSP with TES more expensive at about 6 c/kWh but fully dispatchable. • CSP with TES less expensive than PV with batteries. • Synergy is needed coupling CSP with TES, PV, and batteries. This work aims to compare the cost and performance of Photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) solar plants utility-size >100 MW built in the United States (US) and model predictions to forecast their optimal synergetic use in a near-future solar (and wind) only grid. There are in the country very few CSP, and many more PV plants, that are representative of the latest technologies. The largest number of PV plants is the result of the cost advantage and better technology-readiness, compared to the mistakenly promoted CSP solar tower (ST) with thermal energy storage (TES) plants, while neglecting the CSP parabolic trough (PT), and not factoring dispatchability. Without TES, CSP PT could provide comparable performances, at an acceptable cost, reaching the mass production of current PV technology. The addition of TES, still suffering from maturity issues, adds dispatchability, is a huge added value but at increased cost and reduced reliability. It is concluded that further technological progress and mass production of CSP, both PT and ST, with further expanded TES, is needed, targeting dispatchability. These plants should be coupled to PV production during the daytime to progress towards a stable solar energy supply with limited external battery energy storage.