太阳能热发电经济性分析和产业激励政策建议

太阳能热发电作为能够输出稳定优质电力的可再生能源发电形式,已在欧洲、美国等国家和地区快速发展。随着产业链的不断完善、技术水平的逐步提升,太阳能热发电产业有望加速进入规模化发展的新阶段。为促进国内太阳能热发电产业发展,国家能源局于2012年9月委托国家太阳能光热产业技术创新战略联盟会同国家可再生能源中心等单位就太阳能热发电产业发展政策开展研究。通过分析我国太阳能热发电技术现状、产业基础及发展中面临的突出技术和政策问题,发现发电成本高是阻碍太阳能热发电技术在我国产业化推广的最大障碍。鉴于国内尚无商业化太阳能热发电站,同时也不能完全照搬国外的经验模式,研究人员通过采用国际范围内普遍适用的商业化电站投融资模式分析经验,对在中国建设运行一个50 MW槽式太阳能热发电站的经济性和2020年导致成本下降的潜在机遇进行了分析,在假设现行1元/(kW•h) 的光伏上网电价同样适用于太阳能热发电的基础上,提出了扶持太阳能热发电产业发展的短期激励政策建议,同时也对出台商业化太阳能热发电上网电价的可能性以及固定电价形成的方法进行了探讨。     

Solar electricity prospects in Oman using GIS-based solar radiation maps

This paper discusses solar power prospects in Oman. First, the geographic and topographic information about Oman are presented. The methodology of producing solar radiation maps using GIS tools is then discussed. The results obtained show very high potential of solar radiation over all the lands of Oman during the whole year. A slope analysis has allowed calculating the yearly electricity generation potential for different Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technologies such as the parabolic trough, parabolic dish, tower, and concentrated PV. For instance if only 10% of the land of Oman with a slope less than 1% is considered an exploitable land for the parabolic trough CSP technology, then the total calculated potential of yearly electricity generation would be about 7.6 million GWh, which is many multiples of (680 times) the current generation supply in Oman which was about 11,189 GWh in 2007.     

Analysis of CSP plants for the definition of energy policies: The influence on electricity cost of solar multiples,capacity factors and energy storage

The effect on the cost of electricity from concentrating solar power (CSP) plants of the solar multiple, the capacity factor and the storage capacity is studied. The interplay among these factors can be used to search for a minimal-cost objective that can serve as a technical criterion to guide in the design of economic incentives for CSP plants. The probability-density function of irradiation is used in conjunction with screening models to evaluate the performance characteristics and costs of concentrating solar power plants. Two technologies have been analyzed in this study: parabolic-trough and tower plants. The results provide information to define the optimal operational range as a function of the desired objective. Thus, it is possible to derive a technical criterion for the design of CSP plants which optimizes the solar electricity produced and its generation cost. The methodology is applied to Spain, and the analysis of the results shows that a solar energy production of 37 kWh/m²/year for tower plants and 66 kWh/m²/year for parabolic-trough ones define the approximate optimal working conditions for the mean DNI in Spain.     

Financing concentrating solar power in the Middle East and North Africa—Subsidy or investment?

The paper presents a strategy for the market introduction of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) that will not require considerable subsidization and will not constitute a significant burden for electricity consumers in the region. In the first section, the paper explains the need of MENA countries for sustainable supply of electricity and calculates the cost of electricity for a model case country. In the second part, the cost development of concentrating solar power plants is calculated on the basis of expectations for the expansion of CSP on a global level. After that, the challenges for the market introduction of CSP in MENA are explained. Finally, we present a strategy for the market introduction of CSP in MENA, removing the main barriers for financing and starting market introduction in the peak load and the medium load segment of power supply. The paper explains why long-term power purchase agreements (PPA) for CSP should be calculated on the basis of avoided costs, starting in the peak load segment. Such PPA are not yet available, the paper aims to convince policy makers to introduce them.     

Modeling the potential for thermal concentrating solar power technologies

In this paper we explore the tradeoffs between thermal storage capacity, cost, and other system parameters in order to examine possible evolutionary pathways for thermal concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. A representation of CSP performance that is suitable for incorporation into economic modeling tools is developed. We also combined existing data in order to estimate the global solar resource characteristics needed for analysis of CSP technologies. We find that, as the fraction of electricity supplied by CSP technologies grows, the application of thermal CSP technologies might progress from current hybrid plants, to plants with a modest amount of thermal storage, and potentially even to plants with sufficient thermal storage to provide base load generation capacity. The regional and global potential of thermal CSP technologies was then examined using the GCAM long-term integrated assessment model.     

Performance assessment of concentrated solar power plants based on carbon and hydrogen fuel cells

In spite of the recent success on the implementation of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), still this technology needs a substantial enhancement to achieve competitiveness. This paper provides thorough insight after previous analyses on an alternative concept for higher efficiency CSP systems based on the replacement of the power block by an electrochemical conversion system. Concentrating solar energy is herewith used to decompose methane into hydrogen and carbon, which are used in hydrogen and carbon fuel cells for electricity generation. This approach envisages modular, efficient and flexible generation plants. Dispatchability can be achieved by storing the solid carbon. Solar-to-electricity efficiency was calculated assuming thermodynamic equilibrium composition and experimental data available from literature, and compared with those of conventional power generation systems and commercial CSP plants. It is concluded that this new-generation CSP concept is potentially able to produce power more efficiently than the current state-of-the art solar thermal power plants.     

Development modes analysis of renewable energy power generation in North Africa

North African countries generally have strategic demands for energy transformation and sustainable development. Renewable energy development is important to achieve this goal. Considering three typical types of renewable energies— wind, photovoltaic (PV), and concentrating solar power (CSP)—an optimal planning model is established to minimize construction costs and power curtailment losses. The levelized cost of electricity is used as an index for assessing economic feasibility. In this study, wind and PV, wind / PV / CSP, and transnational interconnection modes are designed for Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia. The installed capacities of renewable energy power generation are planned through the time sequence production simulation method for each country. The results show that renewable energy combined with power generation, including the CSP mode, can improve reliability of the power supply and reduce the power curtailment rate. The transnational interconnection mode can help realize mutual benefits of renewable energy power, while the apportionment of electricity prices and trading mechanisms are very important and are related to economic feasibility; thus, this mode is important for the future development of renewable energy in North Africa.     

我国生物质发电产业SWOT分析

我国正面临着电力供应短缺和环境污染严重等问题的挑战。鼓励发展可再生能源,将对我国社会的可持续发展发挥重要的作用。生物质能源作为一种可再生能源,在过去的5年中已取得快速的发展,既存在着许多机遇,同时也面临许多挑战。文章运用SWOT分析方法,通过实证研究,回顾和评估了我国生物质发电产业存在的各种优势、劣势、机会以及威胁因素;分析了国家相关政策、法规对生物质发电产业的影响,为我国生物质发电产业的未来发展提供参考和借鉴。     

A Novel Solar Thermal Power Plant with Floating Chimney Stiffened onto a Mountainside and Potential of the Power Generation in China's Deserts

A novel solar thermal power plant with a floating chimney stiffened on a mountainside segment by segment is proposed. The novel power plant is suitable for the special topography in China (i.e., a vast desert belt surrounded by high mountain chains up to thousands of meters). An investigation of its performance is carried out using a simple mathematical model. The levelized electricity cost and the potential of the proposed solar chimney power generation in the large desert regions in Northwest China are also estimated. The results show that the levelized electricity cost of the proposed power generation is competitive with that of clean coal power plant, that the potential power obtained from the proposed power plant in the Taklamakan Desert or the Badain Jaran Desert can satisfy the total electricity consumption in China, and that the total potential power in the twelve deserts and sands, reaching 25,761 TWh per year, can even supply the electric power needs over the world, which are rapidly increasing.     

Siting guidelines for concentrating solar power plants in the Sahel: Case study of Burkina Faso

Selecting a site that meets the technical requirements for a concentrating solar power plant (CSP) is a very critical exercise. This paper points out crucial factors and provides guidelines regarding the selection of suitable sites. It especially focuses on Sahelian countries which have their own climatic peculiarities. These countries, characterized by low access to electricity, are well endowed in solar resources. They are potentially good locations for concentrating solar power plants since their mean daily solar radiation exceeds 5.5 kWh/m². CSP presents therefore, a good opportunity for them to increase in a sustainable manner, their energy supply. The guidelines developed in this paper are applied to Burkina Faso as a case study.     

Assessing the potential for concentrated solar power development in rural Australia

This paper identifies the potential for concentrated solar power (CSP) to generate electricity in a rural region of Western Australia. A review of policies designed to stimulate the contribution of renewable sources highlights the continued reliance upon fossil fuels to supply current and future electricity needs in Australia. Potential CSP sites are defined in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia through overlaying environmental variables and electricity infrastructure on a high resolution grid using widely available datasets and standard geographical information system (GIS) software. The analysis confirms that CSP facilities can be sited over large areas of the Wheatbelt which can be tailored to local patterns of supply and demand. The research underlines the necessity to develop a policy regime which actively supports and stimulates CSP in order to capitalize upon its potential to facilitate rural economic development while contributing towards greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.     

Assessing incentive policies for integrating centralized solar power generation in the Brazilian electric power system

This study assesses the impacts of promoting, through auctions, centralized solar power generation (concentrated solar power – CSP, and photovoltaic solar panels – PV) on the Brazilian power system. Four types of CSP plants with parabolic troughs were simulated at two sites, Bom Jesus da Lapa and Campo Grande, and PV plants were simulated at two other sites, Recife and Rio de Janeiro. The main parameters obtained for each plant were expanded to other suitable sites in the country (totaling 17.2 GW in 2040), as inputs in an optimization model for evaluating the impacts of the introduction of centralized solar power on the expansion of the electricity grid up to 2040. This scenario would be about USD$ 185 billion more expensive than a business as usual scenario, where expansion solely relies on least-cost options. Hence, for the country to incentivize the expansion of centralized solar power, specific auctions for solar energy should be adopted, as well as complementary policies to promote investments in R&D and the use of hybrid systems based on solar and fuels in CSP plants.     

Fruitful symbiosis: Why an export bundled with wind energy is the most feasible option for North African concentrated solar power

The idea of generating electricity in North Africa using concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) has been around for some time now but has recently gained momentum through the Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP) and the formation of the Desertec Industrial Initiative. This paper argues that while the large-scale deployment of CSP in North Africa does not seem economically attractive for either European or African institutions or countries on their own at present, combining domestic use and electricity exports could be profitable for both parties. A detailed economic portfolio covering both solar and wind power plants can achieve competitive price levels, which would accelerate the diffusion of solar technology in North Africa. This portfolio could be financed partially by exporting electricity from solar thermal plants in North Africa via HVDC interconnections to European consumers. Sharing the costs in this way makes it possible to generate solar electricity for the domestic market at a reasonable cost. Some of the electricity produced from the solar power plants and wind parks in North Africa is sold on European energy markets in the form of a long-term contracted solar–wind portfolio, which would qualify for support from the financial incentive schemes of the European Member States (e.g. feed-in tariffs). This transfer of green electricity could help to meet the targets for energy from renewable energy sources (RES) in the EU Member States as the new EU Directive of 2009 opened the European electricity market to imports from third states.     

Solar energy in India: Strategies, policies, perspectives and future potential

Renewable energy sources and technologies have potential to provide solutions to the longstanding energy problems being faced by the developing countries like India. Solar energy can be an important part of India's plan not only to add new capacity but also to increase energy security, address environmental concerns, and lead the massive market for renewable energy. Solar thermal electricity (STE) also known as concentrating solar power (CSP) are emerging renewable energy technologies and can be developed as future potential option for electricity generation in India. In this paper, efforts have been made to summarize the availability, current status, strategies, perspectives, promotion policies, major achievements and future potential of solar energy options in India.     

Review of supercritical CO2 power cycles integrated with CSP

Increasing demand of electricity and severer concerns to environment call for green energy sources as well as efficient energy conversion systems. SCO₂ power cycles integrated with concentrating solar power (CSP) are capable of enhancing the competitiveness of thermal solar electricity. This article makes a comprehensive review of supercritical CO₂ power cycles integrated with CSP. A detailed comparison of four typical CSP technologies is conducted, and the cost challenge of currently CSP technologies is pointed out. The thermophysical properties of sCO₂ and the corresponding two real gas effects are analyzed elaborately to express the features of sCO₂ power cycles. An extensive review of sCO₂ layouts relevant for CSP including 12 single layouts and 1 combined layout is implemented logically. Strengths and weaknesses of sCO₂ power cycles over traditional steam-Rankine cycle generally adopted in current CSP plants are concluded, followed by metal material degration summary in CSP relevant temperature sCO₂ environment, which shows that the nickel-based alloy is a proper structural material candidate for sCO₂-CSP integration. Thermodynamic analyses of sCO₂ power cycles when integrated with CSP are divided into three level of which design-point analysis and off-design modeling are conducted and compared, more researches into the off-design point analysis, dynamic modeling, especially the transient behavior are suggested. Economic analysis of the integrated system is concluded and presents a considerable levelized cost of electricity reduction of 15.6% to 67.7% compared to that of state of art CSP. Taking the thermodynamic and economic analysis into consideration, target designs of sCO₂ power cycles for CSP are summarized in three aspects. Finally, current theoretical and experimental researches of sCO₂ power cycles integrated with CSP for market penetration are introduced. The strengths, weaknesses, and potential solutions to the gaps of three potential pathways (molten salt pathway, particle pathway, and gas phase pathway) to realize the integration of sCO₂ power cycles in the next CSP generation plants up to 700°C are reviewed. In general, the integration of sCO₂ power cycles with CSP technologies exhibits promising expectations for facilitating the competitiveness of thermal solar electricity.     

Making concentrated solar power competitive with coal: The costs of a European feed-in tariff

The European Union has yet to determine how exactly to reach its greenhouse gas emissions targets for the future. One potential answer involves large-scale development of concentrated solar power (CSP) in the North African region, transmitting the power to Europe. CSP is a relatively young and little utilized technology and is expensive when compared to other methods of generation. Feasibility studies have shown it is possible to generate enough power from CSP plants in Africa to spearhead the EUs climate goals. However, the costs of such a project are less well known. Currently, CSP must compete with low cost coal-fired electricity plants, severely hindering development. We examine the possible investment costs required for North African CSP levelized electricity cost to equal those of coal-fired plants and the potential subsidy costs needed to encourage growth until the technologies reach price parity. We also examine the sensitivity of investment and subsidies to changes in key factors. We find that estimates of subsidy amounts are reasonable for the EU and that sensitivity to such factors as perceived risk and learning rates would enable policy-makers to positively influence the cost of subsidies and time required for CSP to be competitive with coal.     

Critical factors in the design,operation and economics of coal gasification plants: The case of the flexible co-production of hydrogen and electricity

Power generation from wind and solar sources is growing in importance, but requires back up from fossil fuel plants, greatly compromising fossil fuel plant economics. This includes the economics of most proposed IGCC–Hypogen type plant schemes which are intended to produce hydrogen and electricity, as well as capturing CO₂. IGCC–Hypogen plants, however, that are able to change the ratio of hydrogen to electricity will be able to operate at maximum capacity all of the time, switching from power generation to hydrogen production as the demand for these two forms of energy changes. Because of the need to provide power to the IGCC–Hypogen ancillaries, some hydrogen from the plant will have to be utilised to supply some of this power. A preliminary economic study examines how the plant could produce electricity and hydrogen at competitive prices.     

Solar energy—A look into power generation,challenges, and a solar‐powered future

Sun is an inexhaustible source of energy capable of fulfilling all the energy needs of humankind. The energy from the sun can be converted into electricity or used directly. Electricity can be generated from solar energy either directly using photovoltaic (PV) cells or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP) technology. Progress has been made to raise the efficiency of the PV solar cells that can now reach up to approximately 34.1% in multi‐junction PV cells. Electricity generation from concentrated solar technologies has a promising future as well, especially the CSP, because of its high capacity, efficiency, and energy storage capability. Solar energy also has direct application in agriculture primarily for water treatment and irrigation. Solar energy is being used to power the vehicles and for domestic purposes such as space heating and cooking. The most exciting possibility for solar energy is satellite power station that will be transmitting electrical energy from the solar panels in space to Earth via microwave beams. Solar energy has a bright future because of the technological advancement in this field and its environment‐friendly nature. The biggest challenge however facing the solar energy future is its unavailability all‐round the year, coupled with its high capital cost and scarcity of the materials for PV cells. These challenges can be met by developing an efficient energy storage system and developing cheap, efficient, and abundant PV solar cells. This article discusses the solar energy system as a whole and provides a comprehensive review on the direct and the indirect ways to produce electricity from solar energy and the direct uses of solar energy. The state‐of‐the‐art procedures being employed for PV characterization and performance rating have been summarized . Moreover, the technical, economic, environmental, and storage‐related challenges are discussed with possible solutions. Furthermore, a comprehensive list of future potential research directions in the field of direct and indirect electricity generation from solar energy is proposed.     

Power,placement and LEC evaluation to install CSP plants in northern Chile

Chile is expecting a 5.4% growth in energy consumption per year until 2030, requiring new and better solutions for the upward trend of its electricity demand. This state leads to select and study one of the potential alternatives for electricity generation: concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Such renewable technology found in Chile a very favorable condition. Recent researches indicate Atacama Desert as one of the best regions for solar energy worldwide, having an average radiation higher than in places where CSP plants are currently implemented, e.g. Spain and USA. The aim of this study is to present an analysis of levelized energy cost (LEC) for different power capacities of CSP plants placed in distinct locations in northern Chile. The results showed that CSP plants can be implemented in Atacama Desert with LECs around 19 ¢US$/kWh when a gas-fired backup and thermal energy storage (TES) systems are fitted. This value increases to approximately 28 ¢US$/kWh if there is no backup system.     

太阳能光热发电技术综述

从经济、环境和社会角度来看,目前的能源供应和使用趋势明显不是可持续的。太阳能聚光光热发电（CSP）技术给拥有充足光照资源的地区带来了希望。太阳能聚光光热发电（CSP）技术可为法向直接日射辐照度（DNI）强的地区提供低碳、可再生能源。该文在简要分析太阳能光热发电技术现状基础上,介绍了太阳能光热发电当前的主要技术以及如何提高太阳能热发电实用性的相关技术。通过使用储热系统、后备燃料或带燃料的混合动力发电可以提高太阳能热发电的实用性。