Solar thermal power plants for solar countries — Technology, economics and market potential

Solar power plants are needed to meet the growing electricity demand and at the same time to take care of the shrinking fossil resources and to reduce global CO2 emissions. In the first part of the paper the state of the art and the technical and economical development of the different solar thermal power plants (e.g. parabolic trough, central receiver and dish systems) are discussed. It is demonstrated that it is a realistic strategy for power plant producers and utilities to include solar thermal power plants for central and decentral electricity supply in their investment plans. Based on an analysis of the electric power demand in all Mediterranean countries expected for the next 25 years, the second part develops some strategies for the implementation of solar thermal power plants. These strategies take into consideration the expected economic development of different regions, the existing infrastructure and electricity networks, and the necessity to supplement fossil plants with solar thermal power plants.