Techno-economic Parametric Assessment of CSP Power Generations Technologies in India

Abstract

India lies in the sunniest regions of the world and has a high potential for solar energy for power generation, given that both technology routes for conversion of solar radiation into heat and electricity. One of the technologies, Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) uses direct sunlight, concentrating it to the focus of solar thermal concentrating systems where the light is absorbed by some material surface to produce high temperatures. The CSP can also be used for centralized level with high power requirement. The current work focuses on the parameters required for the commissioning of the Concentrating Solar Power plants in India. Various parameters which were relevant to this technology are identified from the literature review and by discussion with experts. To evaluate those identified parameters and to know the perceptions of key players in this area a survey was conducted. Total of thirty nine relevant parameters are considered and categorized under two aspects, viz technical and economical aspects. The main purpose of the research is to determine how the judgment level for different parameters, varies among different groups. The results of this study may be useful for the decision and policy makers of CSP technologies.