Concentrating solar power – Technology, potential and policy in India

Abstract

The global demand for energy is growing and conventional energy sources like coal and petroleum are depleting, and renewable resources will play a crucial role in the future. The development of clean and sustainable energy technology is imperative to avert the impending climatic crisis. A worthy investment option is concentrating solar power (CSP) technology which has the capacity to provide for about 7% of the total electricity needs projected for the world by 2030 and 25% by 2050 (considering a high-energy-saving, high-energy-efficiency scenario) [1]. In the present study, the various concentrators available have been explored. Countries all over the world have recognized the potential for CSP and numerous plants are being planned and constructed with incentives offered by the governments. In India, the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat have the potential for widespread application of CSP technology to harness the solar resource. The launch of The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in 2008 by the Indian Government and its initiatives, complemented by state solar policy passed by the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, will go a long way in the establishment of CSP to supply a segment of India's upcoming energy needs.