Review of Concentrated Solar Power Technologies

This assignment provides a comprehensive review of concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies, covering topics such as thermochemical energy storage, parabolic trough collectors, linear Fresnel systems, and more. It includes a list of 20 references to recent studies and articles on CSP technology, including research on heat transfer fluids, containment materials, and stochastic techno-economic assessments. The assignment is likely intended for students in renewable energy or engineering programs, and provides valuable information on the current state of CSP technology and its potential applications.

Running head: CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
Concentrated solar power
(Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association)
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author Note

1
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER Abstract
The following research is conducted on development of substantial energy capacity for Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, supported by global industries. For this, the study focuses on Concentrated Solar
Power which is supplied by Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association. This would lead the nation to
gain huge solar potential and possess a sustainable future.

2
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
Table of Contents
1. Title:...................................................................................................................................................3
2. Research Problem:.............................................................................................................................3
2.1. Research necessity:.....................................................................................................................3
2.2. Scientific gap:.............................................................................................................................3
2.3. Lack of knowledge:....................................................................................................................4
3. Research objective:............................................................................................................................4
4. Importance of research:.....................................................................................................................4
5. Literature review:...............................................................................................................................5
6. Research methodology and procedures:............................................................................................7
6.1. Method identification:................................................................................................................7
6.2. Procedural steps:.........................................................................................................................7
7. Research limitations:.........................................................................................................................8
8. Study overall structure:......................................................................................................................8
9. Expected findings:...........................................................................................................................10
10. References:....................................................................................................................................11

3
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
1. Title:
Energy storage in concentrated solar power (Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association)
2. Research Problem:
CSP or Concentrated Solar Power plant is a form of RE generation. Here, solar radiations
fall on a broad area extending to thousands of square meters. At present Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
pioneering solar projects have expressed strong support for their sustainable future. SASIA or Saudi
Arabia Solar Industry Association is a non-governmental organization which is dedicated to helping
Saudi Arabia to gain huge solar potential [4]. Here lies the current research problem where a
development of substantial energy capacity is needed that must be supported by various international
level industries.
2.1. Research necessity:
As per as human development paradigm production of energy at Saudi Arabian deserts has
been unable to rely on predicted advantages from various future export revenues. This is to gain
impacts of development in that region. However, it has been needed to be compared to country-
specific tailored, more prominent strategies [6]. Through applying the idea of capacity to create
results of sustainable development, the current research sets to tackle research problem.
2.2. Scientific gap:
An important field of scientific research has been considering potential benefit creation under
a dimension of socio-economic research. This has been ranging from possible job creation, value
chain creation and local manufacturing potentials against complex analysis of development effects.
This extension has been towards strategic analysis of sustainability criteria and impacts on
sustainable human developments, human right access and impact on livelihoods [5]. Further, from a

4
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
more theoretical perspective, the problem is high needed to be highly researched from feasibility and
natural science based angle.
2.3. Lack of knowledge:
This is seen from the prism of risk perception, security challenges and international relations.
Through focusing on institutional frameworks in Middle Eastern countries, there are windows of
opportunities to develop security via regional cooperation for renewable energy [1]. However,
considering European point of view, there have been risks regarding security an arising from
changing four import dependencies from Saudi’s common resources to solar renewable resources.
3. Research objective:
The objective of this current research is analyzed below.
 To elaborate comprehensive set of capacity aspects configuring Saudi’s capacity in
maximizing their sustainable benefits of human development both in global and local level.
 The research needs to generate knowledge on the development process for CSP projects and
intends to supply viable input for different policy planners and makers.
4. Importance of research:
A transition from energy production from fuel based to a renewable-based production of
energy production is of utmost importance at Saudi Arabia in the face of current global climate
change. Further, Saudi’s economy needs to reach out due to the predicted rising energy demand, to
adopt alternative paths for securing further energy supply.
For preparing facilitation of Saudi’s energy partnership by CSP technology, it is essential to
apply state of the art scientific framework. This must assist projects to avoid several popular pitfalls.
This must include exclusive planning processes and profit distribution in a unidirectional path.

5
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
Moreover, the significance of this research has been to expand knowledge-base on the social
dimension of the idea to generate renewable energy in Saudi’s desert. Besides, suggestions are
needed to be provided by various established findings contributing to code for best practice or set of
sustainability criteria towards individual projects.
5. Literature review:
Considering the significance of oil storage at Saudi, the interest was seen to start from the
early 1960s. This inception has been considered as the first solar-powered hydrogen generation
plant. 1970’s showed the beginning of significant research and development efforts through finding
two important international joint research and development programs collaborating with USA and
Germany. Programs like SOLERAS and HYSOLAR has turned into a vital starting point for CSP
project in Saudi Arabia. Parrado et al. et al. reviewed that the progress of renewable energy that has
deemed the nation a frontrunner by R&D to renewable energy sources particularly solar energy [1].
Various efforts taken by Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association along with organizations
such as Energy Research Institute – ERI and BP Solar Arabia Ltd with governmental initiatives have
been aimed to increase public awareness on climate change and environmental issues. Papaelias et
al. demonstrated the story when in the year 2010, a government established the King Abdullah City
regarding KACARE or Atomic and Renewable Energy [2]. They were given the role in developing
renewable and atomic energy program in the country and had been working to enhance renewable
and atomic energy programs. It has been still active with the renewable energy.
Oil and oil rent or income has been transformed and shaped to a large degree at Saudi State
and their political and economic system. Dunham and Iverson discusses an acknowledged and
popular strand of a theory known as “Rentier State Theory” [9]. It can explain the way how oil is
developed particular features in a relationship between state and society. This indicates the social

6
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
contract under the nature of a political system of Saudi Arabia as a perfect example. This theory
predicts that oil rent is utilized by a state to buy off people. Hence state needs political stability and
acquiescence against the distribution of oil rents.
Concentrated solar power has been highly attractive as a panacea-like package solution. This
potentially resolves development, water energy and climate problems at a glance with pre-condition
of market setup. Firstly, there is an argument as shown by Fornarelli et al. on climate change [10].
They state that as per as future energy supply security is concerned it is the primary advantage
resulting from the reality that system can remain unchanged. The reason is that CSP has been
delivering energy supply which is dispatchable. Similar to traditional power stations, CSP plants can
supply balancing power or base-load. This has been directly utilizing sunshine during day-time.
They have been using thermal energy storage facilities at night. However, in the case when there is a
more extended period without sunshine, using of biomass or fossil fuel can be used as a backup of a
heat source.
According to Prieto et al. the cheapest method for storing solar energy for many hours found
in more places across Saudi is in thermal energy storage [11]. This research is vital as energy storage
is the gateway towards the renewable energy-powered environment. Like a thermal form of solar
energy, CSP is appropriately suitable to store solar thermally. The main difference is that within CSP
the stored fuel from the sun is reusable. . Köberle, Gernaat and Vuuren shows that unlike cavern-full
or pile of natural gas, the salts of heat storing utilized in solar thermal storage could be recycled
daily under a tank like this for many decades [12].

7
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
6. Research methodology and procedures:
6.1. Method identification:
For the current case study of energy storage in concentrated solar power, a desk study is to be
conducted including a field study and qualitative interview. Employees of Saudi Arabia Solar
Industry Association (SASIA) are to be questioned along with various other popular and prominent
person of Saudi. It must be reminded that Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia are always a
challenging environment for the foreign researchers who have been studying various government
policies [15]. Moreover, they have been seeking access to various practitioners and politicians. The
current research can be compared to their previous researches. Form there is derived that more senior
and well-connected researchers have faced various obstacles to gain access to different relevant
interviewees.
6.2. Procedural steps:
The steps are demonstrated below.
Deciding questions This must be manageable, specific and clear.
Choosing
qualitative research
methodology
For the current case, “action research” is selected. It focuses on
solving immediate issues working with others to resolve problems and point
out specific issues [16].
Data collection Here structured interviews must be conducted using pre-set
questions. In this qualitative interview, the data should be collected by
interviewing employees of Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association
(SASIA), prominent members of Saudi’s royal families, elite members and
government officials. This can be done over internet, phone or in small
groups or “focus groups”.
Analyzing data For the present research descriptive statistics must be used data is to

8
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
be summarized to highlight patterns [19].
7. Research limitations:
One main concern for the current study is the constantly changing political condition.
Another topic crystallizing is related to a political climate like nepotism, elitism and favouritism.
Further, lack of expertise on the side of Saudi Arabia’s institutional context has been focusing on the
planning of solar power plant, deployment and assessment and procedural forthcoming showing
heavy dependency on foreign expertise.
Moreover, the research never covers the aspects like intermittency, low energy density and
expense of CSP than PV. Further, CSP is relatively a new involved technology and hard to compete
against very cheap natural gas. Also, the research does not consider pollution created by the
manufacturing process and location dependency feature of CSP. Further, the study needed to include
the fact that CSP is found to unattractive for many people. Moreover, success deployment of CSP
can consist of notable transmission losses or distances.
8. Study overall structure:
A rationale for renewable energy in Saudi Arabia:
 Domestic energy demand:
 Climate change, water scarcity and desalination as an entry point
 Wind and solar
 Disadvantages
 Choosing economy or sustainability
 Previous renewable energy developments at Saudi Arabia

9
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
 A political system in Saudi Arabia
 An analysis of multi-level perspective of renewable energy policies at Saudi Arabia
 Political systems Landscape-level factors
 Regime-level factors:
 Technological regime
 Market and user regime
 Socio-cultural regime
 Policy regime:
 Transregional and Regime-level governance structures
 Niche level factors
 Science regime: R&D and industry structures, technology transfer strategies
The proposed timeline for the overall execution of the study must initially determine when it
must begin and end. Then the specific stages of the research or piloting the main research are to be
estimated. Next, adequate time is to sort out to screen the interviews. Next, it is to be analyzed
whether the timetable has been realistic along with determining of influence from deadlines or
constraints.
9. Expected findings:
The probable findings from the above research are:
 Fresnel concentrators and parabolic trough are exploited commercially.
 Cheaper methods of manufacturing for mirrors and structures lead to more cost-effective
plants.
 Since CSP plans get assembled in many ways, the research on new ideas of plants or
prototypes has been covering a broad range of possibilities.

10
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER

11
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
10. References:
[1]"Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association (SASIA) website -
WordStreamCopy", WordStreamCopy, 2018. [Online]. Available:
http://wordstreamcopy.com/saudi-arabia-solar-industry-association-sasia-website/. [Accessed: 26-
Mar- 2018].
[2]C. Parrado, A. Girard, F. Simon and E. Fuentealba, "2050 LCOE (Levelized Cost of
Energy) projection for a hybrid PV (photovoltaic)-CSP (concentrated solar power) plant in the
Atacama Desert, Chile", 2018.
[3]M. Papaelias, L. Cheng, M. Kogia, A. Mohimi, V. Kappatos, C. Selcuk, L. Constantinou, C.
Muñoz, F. Marquez and T. Gan, "Inspection and Structural Health Monitoring techniques for
Concentrated Solar Power plants", 2018.
[4]M. Dunham and B. Iverson, "High-efficiency thermodynamic power cycles for concentrated solar
power systems", 2018.
[5]F. Fornarelli, S. Camporeale, B. Fortunato, M. Torresi, P. Oresta, L. Magliocchetti, A. Miliozzi
and G. Santo, "CFD analysis of melting process in a shell-and-tube latent heat storage for
concentrated solar power plants", 2018.
[6]C. Prieto, P. Cooper, A. Fernández and L. Cabeza, "Review of technology: Thermochemical
energy storage for concentrated solar power plants", 2018.
[7]A. Köberle, D. Gernaat and D. van Vuuren, "Assessing current and future techno-economic
potential of concentrated solar power and photovoltaic electricity generation", 2018.

12
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER
[8]W. Fuqiang, C. Ziming, T. Jianyu, Y. Yuan, S. Yong and L. Linhua, "Progress in concentrated
solar power technology with parabolic trough collector system: A comprehensive review", 2018.
[9]R. Chacartegui, A. Alovisio, C. Ortiz, J. Valverde, V. Verda and J. Becerra, "Thermochemical
energy storage of concentrated solar power by integration of the calcium looping process and a CO 2
power cycle", 2018.
[10]B. Xu, P. Li and C. Chan, "Application of phase change materials for thermal energy storage in
concentrated solar thermal power plants: A review to recent developments", 2018.
[11]S. Bonke, M. Wiechen, D. MacFarlane and L. Spiccia, "Renewable fuels from concentrated
solar power: towards practical artificial photosynthesis", 2018.
[12]F. Cavallaro, E. Zavadskas and D. Streimikiene, "Concentrated solar power (CSP) hybridized
systems. Ranking based on an intuitionistic fuzzy multi-criteria algorithm", 2018.
[13]Y. Zhang, Y. Cai, S. Hwang, G. Wilk, F. DeAngelis, A. Henry and K. Sandhage, "Containment
materials for liquid tin at 1350 °C as a heat transfer fluid for high temperature concentrated solar
power", 2018.
[14]"Solarplaza Saudi Arabia offers one of world’s lowest solar energy costs", Solarplaza.com,
2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.solarplaza.com/channels/archive/11204/saudi-arabia-offers-
one-of-worlds-lowest-solar-ene/. [Accessed: 26- Mar- 2018].
[15]"Saudi Arabia Solar", Solar GCC, 2018. [Online]. Available: http://www.solargcc.com/saudi-
arabia-solar/. [Accessed: 26- Mar- 2018].