Integrated solar thermal combined cycle for power generation in Iraq

Abstract

Solar thermal power has already shown enormous promise as a source for power generation. With limited environmental impacts and an immense abundance, it offers a reasonable prospect to the sunny countries such as Iraq, that enables the country to lead the development of industrial-scale solar power generation in the region. However, the electricity distribution systems would be confronted by daily and annual variance of solar irradiation. To compensate for this variance the integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) with a natural gas power plant is the solution. This study investigates the potential of ISCC power plants in Iraq in which preferred technologies and economic feasibility are analysed. The analysis shows it is the best interest of Iraq to invest in at least one large-scale ISCC power plant among the future planned power plants. The most promising location for such a plant would be in Al Anbar, the immense western desert in Iraq, yet other six locations for such power plants have potential as well. The economic analysis showed a high capital cost for the concentrated solar power (CSP) plant compared to the natural gas (NG) plant, as the CSP formed 67% of the total capital investment, though, the operating and maintenance cost of CSP formed only about 5% of the total ISCC plant cost at $1,688,281 per year, and the direct operating and maintenance cost of CSP and NG plants were 34, and 164 $.kW−1, respectively.