When comparing power generating systems it is quite important to compare the costs per kWh required for generation.

Going by the latest available statistics , it is seen that the cost per kWh for Conventional PV is $0.24 , Concentrated Solar PV is $ 0.14, Parabolic Concentrated Solar Steam System is also $ 0.14 but for a Concentrated Solar Tower System it is quite high at $0.25 .

It depends on the location of the plant depending on the availability of water source . If water availability is not a problem then CSP system would be a likely option, but if water availability is a problem, then definitely, Concentrated Solar PV would be a better option.

Hope this info will be helpful

Cheers

Srikant, what is your source for "latest available statistics"?

The EIA 2012 assessment of levelized costs (www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/pdf/electricity_generation.pdf) give that PV should cost $0.16/kWh with the range $0.12-0.25 /kWh, while solar thermal is assumed to cost $0.25 with the range $0.18-0.40 /kWh. CPV is not included here. Solar thermal is supposed to be built without energy storage.

I would not take these figures as sacrosanct. It does appear, however, as if PV has surpassed CSP in which costs the less. That does not necessarily mean that it is the only/best option. CSP fills an important niche in the energy system, in having a unique (for renewables) combination of high capacity credit (if built w storage) and large resource potential. That might not be important in all market today, but increasingly in a future with a rising renewable share of the energy supply.

Prices for solar technologies are incredibly difficult to compare. The cost of different technologies will vary with location, both in absolute and relative values. Depending on how they are installed, they may also have different reference prices. A CSP plant has to compete with other sources on producer cost of electricity, while rooftop PV and small CPV plants may compete with consumer prices (which should always be higher than market prices). To survive this, CSP has to be able to deliver electricity at times where the demand and the market prices are at highest.

Since investments consider the future, one must also look at price development. It appears that the learn rates are higher for PV with about 20% cost decrease per doubled capacity, compared to 15% for CSP. However, CSP is further up on the learn curve and will achieve a doubling of capacity at a lower total investment. So if the investments in CSP were as high as on PV, CSP could have faster cost decreases. That is a political question: where does government support and private investment do most to lower costs of renewable energy?

As long as there are no cheap ways to store electricity, my bet is that both PV and CSP will grow and be important. The question is rather what company that will survive, than which technology. My bet wouldn't be on CPV developers. If cost continues going down on PV surface, while other commodity prices increase due to scarcity, the relative benefit of adding concentrators to PV cells will decrease.

Hello Erik,

The figures of Cost per kWh that I have quoted in my answer for different types of energy supply sources is from the website : http://www.unenergy.org/

You can please click on this link :

http://www.unenergy.org/Popup%20pages/Comparecosts.html

to access the full data of “Cost comparison of Energy supply technologies” and check out the cost per kWh for various energy supply sources

Cheers,

K Srikant

Srikant,

I can't see where this blog gets its figures from. The costs of conventional power sources seem completely off the charts. What is the unit MW/hr they are using? No such thing. I would take these figures quite lightly, at least until you know in depth how they got to the figures they have.

That said, they do have some interesting links.

I would dig into the UN SRREN report instead, that has a better scientific basis.

Thanks Erik and Srikant

These figures are interesting.Investors are definitely interested in the return on investment.

Quick comment though, because of the levels/stages involved in the generation process,PV apears to have a higher efficiency.You have any websites or material that mentions the operating efficiency of CSP?

The question does not have an "open answer", one needs to consider some pertinent parameters, like site location, prices of fuel, cost of PV systems, acceptance factor (policies) etc, before considering investment decisions. This is an optimization problem! Anyway, in general, for an average conditions the initial cost of installation for PV systems is quite higher than CSP, but long term cost is favourable for a PV technology than CSP technology.

I am going to publish a paper soon on a comparison btween CSP and PV plants, based on the LCA -Life Cycle Assessment approach. I you follow me you will be able to download it soon

See “How Solar PV is winning over CSP”

By Romeu Gaspar

March-12-2013

39 Comments

in Renewable Energy World

Today there is a big difference between the prices of kWh produced by PV Technology and that produced by CSP Technology, where the price of kWh from PV Technology ranged (3-5 C$), while from CSP ranged (12-15C$).

Regards