THE ELUSIVE COST OF BIG SUN

Novatec Biosol: “More transparency needed on solar field cost and performance”
Rikki Stancich, 17 September 2010 (CSP Today)

[Martin Selig, founder, Novatec Biosol:] “…[We must] have a close look at the cost of efficiency of various CSP technologies. We need to look at the parabolic trough field, at the power tower systems - only the solar fields, and assess the specific costs of solar thermal energy. That is the key. This cost has to come down…I do not see too many solar field manufacturers offering guarantees and key performance indicators for their solar systems. This is something we are waiting for. This would make it much easier to compare one system with another.”

[Martin Selig, founder, Novatec Biosol:] “…We have to be able to generate steam at as low a cost as coal and gas…[Novatec] can generate steam using solar energy at a lower cost than could be achieved with fossil fuels on the basis of oil prices, and at a similar cost based on natural gas prices…People should be aware of the cost-competitiveness of CSP compared with steam-generated power from fossil fuels…Now it is up to the power plant engineers to figure out suitable power plant designs to making the best use out of this opportunity…There is also a new opportunity to integrate a solar system into existing or new power plants to substitute (at least during day time) the same or more expensive fossil fuels.”

A Novatec Biosol linear fresnel system. (click to enlarge)

[Martin Selig, founder, Novatec Biosol:] “Water prices in [MENA] countries do not reflect the real cost, because they are highly subsidised. For this reason it is very important to have a solar technology that has low water requirement…[As to siting difficulties,] there should be some gigawatts out there [that] are generated via the integration of solar boilers with existing plants…”

Schematic of the Novatec Biosol concentrating system. (click to enlarge)

[Martin Selig, founder, Novatec Biosol:] “…[Northern Africa] countries face a huge ramp up and have a huge requirement for new installed capacity. Given the recent growth of wealth and population, I think that these countries are looking at building new power plants…[T]here will be markets for new CSP plants and for retrofitting older ones. There will be a robust market for both, most definitely…In Algeria they are favouring the integrated solar combined cycle model…Morrocco, on the other hand, is looking to build real solar power plants…”

[Martin Selig, founder, Novatec Biosol:] “In the United Arab Emirates, some of the power plants are directly linked to the desalination plants. During winter they still have a high water demand but much lower electricity demand, so they have difficulties in matching both demand curves…[D]e-coupling power from desalination by using a solar boiler to power these desalination plants during winter could be a real option…When it comes to desalination, you are talking about coastal areas where typical land values are much higher than in the desert…Our Nova1 system is able to generate 30% more solar thermal energy than a parabolic trough solar field, on the same amount of land…”