Concentrated solar power: Current technologies, major innovative issues and applicability to West African countries

Conventional Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies have been mainly developed during the eighties. They can be considered as similar to conventional thermal power processes in which the boiler has been replaced, at least partially, by a concentrated solar field producing the heat. After more than 20 years of reduced activity, they have recently taken advantage of an impressive removal at the beginning of the new XXIst century and are subjected today to an increasing industrial interest. Based on the inherited technologies, companies build currently plants in the range of 10–20 MWe for central receiver CSP and 50 MWe for solar trough CSP. According to the IEA, at least 630 GWe of CSP should be installed in 2050 for only 700 MWe available today and preferably in areas of high solar potential (the so-called solar belt). Before this high potential, major issues have still to be overcome to enhance the performances and to adapt the technologies to the up to date constraints. In the present paper, the history and the technologies of the current CSP are presented, the major innovative issues described and the applicability to West African countries discussed. CSP standards proposed by developed countries are compared to the actual needs and potentials of West African countries.