Concentrated Solar Power: Technologies, Impacts, Technical Developments, Barriers and Opportunities

Executive summary
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Concentrated solar power (CSP) utilizes natural resources to generate
electricity. This paper discusses the several technologies used to concentrate
sunlight for maximum reception of sun rays. The technologies include solar
power tower, solar parabolic dishes, linear Fresnel reflectors and the fourth
type is parabolic trough collectors. Impacts of concentrated solar power on
other fuels and energy systems are discussed in section 3.0 and it has
significant number of positive impacts. In an aid to increase amount energy
generated from concentrated solar power, technical development done to
achieve this has been implemented to improve the technology and are
discussed in detail in this paper. Barriers hindering the development of
concentrated solar power are also highlighted.
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Table of contents
Executive
summary......................................................................................................
..........................2
1.0
Introduction................................................................................................
.......................................5
2.0 Current state of
technology...................................................................................................
..........5
2.1 Solar power tower
system.........................................................................................................
......6
2.2 solar parabolic
dishes.........................................................................................................
..............6
2.2 Solar Fresnel reflector
system.........................................................................................................
7
2.3 Solar parabolic trough
system.........................................................................................................
8
3.0 Impact on energy and other
fuel.....................................................................................................7
3.1 Stable electricity
prices.........................................................................................................
............8
3.2 creates job opportunities and improves the
economy................................................................9
3.3 provides resilient and reliable
energy............................................................................................10
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3.4 Reduced global
warming......................................................................................................
............10
3.5 Improved health of the
public..........................................................................................................1
0
3.6 Energy from CSP is
inexhaustible................................................................................................
....11
4.0 Technical
developments.............................................................................................
......................11
4.1 Technical development of CSP
system...........................................................................................11
4.2 Development of solar power tower
technology...........................................................................11
5.0 Barriers and
opportunities................................................................................................
...............12
5.1
cost............................................................................................................
...........................................12
5.2 Siting and
transmission................................................................................................
.....................12
5.3 Government
policy............................................................................................................
...............13
5.4 Shortcoming in the
technology...................................................................................................
....13
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