The incorporation into the system of 7,000 MW of new solar thermal power with storage would save 430 million euros in the 2025 horizon, without coal plants, with a generation contribution of less than 16% per year for combined cycles and with a pool below 5c € / kWh. This is the main conclusion of the study of Value Analysis of the Solar Thermal Power Plants in Spain in 2025, report of the Solar Concentra Technology Platform, whose technical secretariat is in charge of Protermosolar, which emphasizes that this saving is due to the manageability of the thermosolar power plants. In the event that the removal of coal were replaced by gas, instead of solar thermal power plants, the cost of generation would be more expensive.

This study, which projects a generation mix scenario to 2025, contemplates, in addition to the solar thermal 7GW, new installed power starting from the expected values to 2020 (in addition to the auctions), 3GW of wind power plants, 5GW of photovoltaic and 1.2 GW of cogeneration, maintaining the nuclear installed capacity and completely eliminating the coal.

The report of Solar Concentra (Technology Platform funded by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness), which has been prepared by the consultants Adalid Asesores y Consultores (ADAYC) and MRC Consultans and Transaction Advisers (MRC Spain), demonstrates that with the incorporation of of 7,000 MW of new thermal power with storage, the weighted price of electricity would be € 49.78 / MWh compared to € 52.31 / MWh (a reduction of 4.8%) without additional solar thermal.

In addition, the incorporation of solar thermal would allow a reduction of more than 18% of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, which would increase from 23 million tons to 18.7 million tons. Also, the operation of the solar thermal power plants would ensure the robustness of the system with its synchronous generation, avoiding its replacement by gas plants,

Thanks to thermosolar, the electrical system would be protected from the volatility that coal substitution would cause exclusively by non-manageable technologies, facilitating at the same time, the incorporation of new wind and photovoltaic power plants.

For the calculation of the value contributed by the solar thermal power plants presented in this analysis, the simulation model that calculates the optimal dispatch (minimum cost dispatch) has been used, as is done in the free competition markets.

This study is the prelude to the report that will soon be presented by Protermosolar, in which a mix is projected to 2030 without nuclear or coal plants and without raising the cost of the system.

Protermosolar is the association that represents the Spanish sector of the thermoelectric solar industry and is made up of 50 members. Solar thermal technology, in which Spain is an international leader, has recently entered the world of renewable energies with strength and currently has great growth potential due to its manageability and storage capacity, due to its high employment creation local and for its potential to reduce costs. The installed capacity in Spain is 2,300 MW and the contribution of Spanish companies in international markets is around 75%.

Relevant CSP Conference：CSP Focus MENA 2018（June 27-28,Marrakeck Morocco）