Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) - Basics and Introduction

Basics and Technology Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is a type of Renewable Energy that uses the sun's energy to generate electricity and process heat. Most applications are large-scale. Solar Thermal Power Plants are large scale renewable energy infrastructures using heat produced by contracted solar beams (Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)). Mirrors concentrate solar beam on a receiver. The produced heat with temperatures of 400ºC to 1000ºC can be used directly, be transformed into electricity or stored.

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Technologies

CSP technology, being quite different from the more popular photovoltaic equpiment, concentrates sunlight to effectively create heat to raise steam. However, there are different types of technology working under title of CSP. In the following chapters, the idea of the “parabolic trough”, the “power tower”, the “Fresnel mirror system” (or simply “linear Fresnel”) and the “dish” will be presented.

Power Tower

The power tower really lives up to its promise. Compared to other CSP technologies, it can create the highest degree of temperature. Surrounded by mirrors reflecting light onto an elevated and centered tower, the power tower generates heat of about 1,000 C°. By transferring the reflected concentrated solar radiation to a fluid, steam is being produced that expands on a turbine in order generate the intended electricity.

CSP Today

List of CSP projects

See List of solar thermal power stations and List of concentrating solar thermal power companies (Wikipedia)