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LARGE SCALE

SOLAR – PV &

CSP

By Waseem Qureshi

(Research and Report Director)

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Table of Contents

I. Contents…………….…………………………………………….….…….Page 2

II. MESIA Board…..…...…………………………………….…………Pages 3 & 4

III. Introduction……………….………………………………….…….……..Page 5

IV. Solar PV & CSP Technologies..………………………….……Pages 6 to 8

Figure 1: Roof-mounted Solar PV system

Figure 2: Ground based Solar PV System

Figure 3: Concentrated Solar Power Plant

V. International Solar PV & CSP…………………………...…..Pages 8 to 10

Figure 4: Global Installed Solar Power Capacity - MW (2000-2015)

Figure 5: Solar PV Global Capacity and Annual Additions (2006-2016)

Figure 6: CSP Thermal Energy Storage Global Capacity and Annual Additions

(2007-2016)

Figure 7: CSP installed in major countries up to 2016 (in MW)

Figure 8: Growth of CSP production by region (TWh/year)

VI. Major Solar PV Plants……………….…………..……………….…...Page 11

VII. Solar PV Plants under Construction…………………..…….……Page 12

VIII. Operational CSP Projects…………………………………….………Page 13

IX. CSP Projects under Construction………………………………….Page 14

X. Conclusion……………………………………………………….…….…Page 15

XI. References………………………………………………………Pages 16 to 18

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INTRODUCTION

2016 proved to be a breakthrough year for solar, with a cumulative

76.6GW of solar installed in that year compared to the 51.2GW of solar

installed in 2015. The total installed capacity of solar reached

306.5GW, which represented a 33% increase from the 229.9GW of solar

installed in 2015.

China took the lead with 34.5GW of solar installations in 2016 and with

that the Asia-Pacific region became the largest solar powered region in

the world with a total of 147.2GW of installed solar capacity,

representing 48% of the global solar market share.

The global installed solar capacity is forecasted to reach 387GW by the

end of 2017, and to reach a startling 700GW by the end of 2021 [1].

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SOLAR PV & CSP TECHNOLOGIES

While Solar as a whole is a leading renewable energy source with wide scale deployments

across the world, the two dominant technologies in Solar are Photovoltaic (PV) and

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).

Figure 2: Ground based Solar PV System [4]

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) in contrast is a complicated technology and it is a type of solar

thermal technology. CSP utilizes mirrors or lenses to focus the sun’s energy onto a single focal

point where the light energy is converted into heat; the heat energy then produces steam that

turns turbines (coupled to a an electric generator) which produces electricity. CSP is a tracker

based system and it utilizes various thermal storage media, but the most commonly used

medium is molten salt. In this technology, the sun’s light is first converted to heat energy

which is then converted to electricity, however, in some heating/ cooling applications the heat

energy may be directly used [5].

Solar PV utilizes solar cells aggregated to

make solar panels that can generate

electric current from the sun’s radiation

energy. Thus, the sun’s radiation energy

is directly converted into an electric

current in this method (which can further

be converted for AC power applications).

PV installations can be ground-mounted,

roof-top mounted or wall-mounted etc.

depending upon the type of application.

They are further classified into fixed or

tracker based systems [2].

Figure 1: Roof-mounted Solar PV system [3]

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Figure 3: Concentrated Solar Power Plant [6]

Solar PV technology has some key advantages over CSP. PV systems are scalable, they can cater

for smaller power requirements in residential areas to larger power requirements in industrial

sectors. They can range from a few kilowatts (kW) up to megawatts (MW) and can be deployed

almost anywhere. Whereas, CSP has its limitations in this regard, it cannot be deployed

everywhere and it is not feasible on a smaller scale (usually less than 20MW). The

impracticality of scaling down CSP means that it cannot be widely used to decentralize power

unlike PV. Since CSP utilizes direct solar irradiation, therefore, to maximize the efficiency of

CSP it is feasible to install it only in areas with very high solar irradiation especially the Sun

Belt region which includes the Middle East, North Africa, South Africa, India, Southwest United

States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Western China, Australia, southern Europe and Turkey [7].

PV is a cheaper technology than CSP, as it requires only solar panels and a couple of other

balance of system components, which also makes it installation simpler. On the other hand,

the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) generated is higher for CSP as it utilizes multiple critical

mechanical and chemical components [8]. The focus of many research and development

companies and organizations has led to advancements in solar cells and reductions in their

cost meaning lower costs of PV. The same level of research has not been observed in the case

of CSP [9].

One essential advantage that CSP has over PV is of energy storage. Light energy from the sun

is stored as thermal energy in the storage medium. The thermal energy can be stored for

extended periods of time and utilized even the sun is not shining or on cloudy days. Thermal

energy storage as an intermediate step has the advantage of providing electricity in the later

hours of the day when the sun is not shining and when the demand for electricity is higher.

Whereas, PV has no storage medium involved, the sun’s radiation is directly converted to

electricity, which means that there is no electric power available after daytime or when it’s

cloudy. However, power can be stored for off-daytime hours for PV if the system is coupled

with batteries, but that greatly drives up the cost of PV systems. Another important advantage

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that CSP holds is it’s relatively easier integration with fossil fuel based power plants, since

these plants already used conventional steam turbines to produce electricity [10].

Regardless of system type, both PV and CSP technologies have their own advantages and there

may be applications in which one technology is preferred over the other.

INTERNATIONAL SOLAR PV & CSP

While the total installed capacity of Solar PV reached over 303GW by the end of 2016 from

228GW in 2015 representing an increase of around 33%, the total installed capacity of

Concentrating Solar Thermal Power capacity increased to 4.8GW from 4.7GW during the year

2016 which was an increase of approximately only 2%. This was the lowest annual growth rate

in the cumulative global capacity of CSP for the past decade [11].

The figure below depicts the global installed capacity of both Solar PV and CSP for each year

ranging from 2000 to 2015:

Figure 4: Global Installed Solar Power Capacity - MW (2000-2015) [12]

It can be observed from the above figure that the growth of CSP has been relatively sluggish

as compared to the growth of Solar PV, which has seen a steady rise in its installed capacity

over the years.

Specifically for Solar PV the figure below shows the additions in Solar PV capacity for each year

along with the total global capacity of Solar PV for each year:

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Figure 5: Solar PV Global Capacity and Annual Additions (2006-2016) [13]

Similarly, the figure below shows the additions in CSP capacity for each year along with the

total global capacity of CSP for each year:

Figure 6: CSP Thermal Energy Storage Global Capacity and Annual Additions (2007-2016) [14]

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Even with the limited capacity of CSP installed over the world, Spain was the leading country

for CSP deployments till the year 2016 with 2,362MW of CSP installed, followed by United

States and then India. The figure below shows the CSP installations for the top 10 countries:

Figure 7: CSP installed in major countries up to 2016 (in MW) [15]

The growth of CSP for each region that has been forecasted up till the year 2050 has been

shown in the figure below, in which North America is expected to be region with the greatest

capacity of CSP:

Figure 8: Growth of CSP production by region (TWh/year) [16]

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Major Solar PV Plants

Listed below are a couple of noteworthy solar PV installations around the world [17]:

Tengger Desert Solar Park Location: Zhongwei, Ningxia, China

Capacity: 1,547MW

Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base

Location: Datong, Shanxi, China

Capacity: 1,000MW

Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park

Location: Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India

Capacity: 950MW

Longyangxia Dam Solar Park

Location: Gonghe, Qinghai, China

Capacity: 850MW

Kamuthi Solar Power Project

Location: Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu, India

Capacity: 648MW

Solar Star

Location: Rosamond, California, USA

Capacity: 579MW

Topaz Solar Farm

Location: Carrisa Plains, California, USA

Capacity: 550MW

Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park

Location: Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan

Capacity: 400MW commissioned of total targeted 1,000MW

Muhammad bin Rashid al Maktoum Solar Park

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Capacity: 213MW operational (800MW to be added in third phase, 5,000MW

targeted by 2030)

Masdar City Solar PV Plant [18]

Location: Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Capacity: 10MW

[17]: Reference for listed projects except [18].

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Solar PV Plants under Constructions

Listed below are some solar PV installations under construction around the world:

Adani Renewable Energy Park [19] Location: Rajasthan, India

Planned Capacity: 10,000MW

Pavagada Solar Park [20]

Location: Karnataka, India

Planned Capacity: 2,700MW

Ningxia Solar Project [21]

Location: Ningxia, China

Planned Capacity: 2,000MW

Bulli Creek Solar Farm [22]

Location: Queensland, Australia

Planned Capacity: 2,000MW

Muhammad bin Rashid al Maktoum Solar Park [23]

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Planned Capacity: 1,013MW (213MW already operation, work on 800MW underway)

Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park [24]

Location: Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan

Capacity: 1,000MW (400MW already commissioned, work on 600MW underway)

Karapinar Energy Resource Area [25]

Location: Konya, Turkey

Capacity: 1,000MW

Rewa Ultra Mega Solar [26]

Location: Rewa, Madhya Pradesh

Capacity: 750MW

McCoy Solar Energy Project [27]

Location: Mojave Desert (Riverside County), California, USA

Capacity: 750MW (of which 250MW is already operational)

Ukujima Mega Solar Project [28]

Location: Ukujima, Sasebo City, Nagasaki, Japan

Capacity: 475MW

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Operational CSP Projects

Some of the operational CSP Projects are listed below [29]:

[29]: Reference for listed projects except [30].

Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating

System Location: California, United States

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 392MW

Solar Electric Generating Station [30]

Location: Mojave Desert, California (USA)

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 354MW

Solana Generating Station

Location: Phoenix, Arizona (USA)

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 280MW

Solaben Solar Power Station

Location: Logrosán, Spain

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 200MW

Noor I

Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 160MW

Solnova

Location: Sevilla, Spain

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 150MW

KaXu Solar One

Location: Pofadder, South Africa

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 100MW

Dhursar Location: Dhursar, India

Technology: Linear Fresnel

Reflector

Capacity: 125MW

Shams 1

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 100MW

Genesis Solar Energy Project

Location: Blythe, California (USA)

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 250MW

Andasol

Location: Granada, Spain

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 150MW

Extresol

Location: Badajoz, Spain

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 150MW

Khi Solar One

Location: Upington, South Africa

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 50MW

Megha Solar Plant

Location: Anantapur, India

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 50MW

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CSP Projects under Construction

Some of the CSP Projects under construction around the world are listed below [31]:

[31]: Reference for listed projects except [32] & [33].

Noor II Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 200MW

Ashalim Plot B

Location: Ashalim, Israel

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 121MW

Kathu Solar Park

Location: Kathu, South Africa

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 100MW

Huanghe Qinghai Delingha CSP

Project [32]

Location: Delingha, China

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 135MW

Yumen CSP Project

Location: Yumen, China

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 50MW

Copiapó

Location: Copiapó, Chile

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 260MW

Golden Tower CSP Project

Location: Jinta, China

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 100MW

Noor III Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 150MW

Atacama-1 Location: Calama, Chile

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 110MW

Xina Solar One Location: Pofadder, South Africa

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 100MW

Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum

CSP Project [33] Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 700MW

Ilanga I Location: Upington, South Africa

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 100MW

Aurora Solar Energy Project Location: Port Augusta, Australia

Technology: Power Tower

Capacity: 150MW

Shagaya CSP Project

Location: Kuwait City, Kuwait

Technology: Parabolic Trough

Capacity: 50MW

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CONCLUSION

Even with the slow growth of CSP seen over the years, CSP is expected to remain on a strong

trajectory with as much as 900MW of CSP forecasted to come online by the end of 2017 [34].

With much more R&D focused around Solar PV and the significant reduction in the prices of

solar modules, together with the limitations and high costs of CSP have resulted in accelerated

growths of Solar PV capacity around the world in comparison with the slower capacity growth

of CSP.

Though the relatively higher efficiency of the CSP technology gives it an edge over Solar PV.

Solar-to-electric efficiency for CSP systems ranges between 15 to 25%. Compared to other CSP

technologies, parabolic dish conversion efficiencies are the highest, reaching over 30% of peak

efficiency [35]. Whereas, even the most efficient commercially available solar panels on the

market today have efficiency ratings as high as 22.5%, with the majority of panels having a

typical efficiency ranging from 14% to 16% [36].

Moreover, CSP coupled with Thermal Energy Storage can provide the solution to intermittent

power that exists with other renewable energy types, including Solar PV and Wind. Both these

technologies are greatly influenced by the unpredictability and instability of environmental

conditions, which places a question mark on the reliability of these renewable energy sources

[37].

Thus, with the benefits of CSP and future advancements in this technology, CSP will continue

to retain a niche market at the utility-scale level, especially in combined heat and power

applications as compared to the more widespread market of Solar PV [38].

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REFERENCES

[1]

Global Market Outlook - For Solar Power (2017-2021)

[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaic_system

[3] https://www.builddirect.com/blog/sunny-side-up-solar-panels-on-the-ground-or-roof/

[4]

http://www.wardell-armstrong.com/solar-pv-environmental-impact-assessment-appraisal

[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentrated_solar_power

[6] http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/renewable-energy/concentrating-solar-power-

plants#.WeRo2nZx2Uk

[7]

https://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/IRENA-

ETSAP%20Tech%20Brief%20E10%20Concentrating%20Solar%20Power.pdf

[8] https://blogs.dnvgl.com/energy/the-future-of-solar-energy-concentrated-solar-power-vs-

photovoltaic-power-plants

[9]

https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable-resources/2015/11/30/csp-vs-pv-understanding-the-

current-situation-and-future-outlook/

[10]

http://sites.nicholas.duke.edu/daliapatinoecheverri/files/2015/09/ISCC.pdf

[11]

Renewables 2017 Global status Report – REN21

[12]

World Energy Resource Solar 2016

[13]

Renewables 2017 Global Status Report – REN21

[14]

Renewables 2017 Global Status Report – REN21

[15]

World Energy Resource Solar 2016

[16]

Technology Roadmap (Concentrating Solar Power) – International Energy Agency

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[17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photovoltaic_power_stations

[18]

http://enviromena.com/profiles/masdar-10-mw-solar-power-plant/

[19]

https://www.areprl.com/

[20] http://www.livemint.com/Industry/UEJYwZQT5m3wNvGupBShZJ/How-the-worlds-largest-

solar-park-is-shaping-up-in-Karnatak.html

[21]

https://velatianetworks.com/2017/01/16/ningxia-solar-project-6-million-panels-to-supply-

the-asian-giant/

[22]

http://reneweconomy.com.au/sunedison-to-co-develop-worlds-biggest-bulli-creek-solar-

farm-in-queensland-22822/

[23]

Muhammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park Brochure – Dubai Electricity & Water Authority

[24]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaid-e-Azam_Solar_Park

[25] https://balkangreenenergynews.com/the-biggest-solar-power-plant-in-turkey-to-be-built-by-

turkish-southkorean-consortium/

[26]

http://rumsl.com/

[27]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCoy_Solar_Energy_Project

[28]

http://pvdp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/web_new_ukujima_brochure_en_4mai.pdf

[29]

https://www.nrel.gov/csp/solarpaces/projects_by_status.cfm?status=Operational

[30] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Energy_Generating_Systems

[31] https://www.nrel.gov/csp/solarpaces/projects_by_status.cfm?status=Under%20Construction

https://www.nrel.gov/csp/solarpaces/projects_by_status.cfm?status=Under%20Development

[32] https://www.protenders.com/companies/huanghe-hydropower-development-

huanghe/projects/huanghe-qinghai-delingha-solar-thermal-power-plant

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[33]

http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/general/dubai-launches-world-s-largest-concentrated-solar-

power-project-1.2091061

[34]

Renewables 2017 Global Status Report – REN21

[35]

http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2013/ph240/rajavi1/

[36]

http://news.energysage.com/what-are-the-most-efficient-solar-panels-on-the-market/

[37]

http://www.renewablegreenenergypower.com/solar-energy-facts-concentrated-solar-power-

csp-vs-photovoltaic-pv-panels/

[38] http://helioscsp.com/concentrated-solar-thermal-vs-photovoltaic-solar/