Concentrating solar power potential of Peru: Analysing Peru’s potential for CSP technology with geographical, technical and economic approaches
Translated title
Concentrating solar power potential of Peru
Author
Pliego Ruiz, Francisco
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-01-24
Pages
90
Abstract
Koncentreret solenergi (Concentrated Solar Power, CSP) er en vedvarende teknologi, hvor spejle samler sollys for at skabe varme, som driver en turbine og producerer elektricitet. Med termisk lagring – typisk tanke med smeltesalt, der kan holde på varmen – kan et anlæg levere strøm, også efter solnedgang. Peru har meget høj solindstråling, men landets elforsyning domineres i dag af naturgas og vandkraft. Dette studie undersøger derfor, om CSP med termisk lagring er teknisk og økonomisk gennemførligt i Peru. Arbejdet omfatter en geografisk kortlægning med GIS-software (Geographic Information Systems) for at finde de mest egnede placeringer, samt økonomisk optimering af et 50 MW soltårn med smeltesalt som varmebærer og lager. Resultaterne peger på, at teknologien kan få en lovende rolle i Peru med en konkurrencedygtig LCOE (leveliserede elomkostninger, dvs. den gennemsnitlige elpris over anlæggets levetid) sammenlignet med de dominerende løsninger. Rapporten skal fungere som et udgangspunkt for at tiltrække mere opmærksomhed fra institutioner og virksomheder i Peru til CSP-teknologiens muligheder.
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) is a renewable technology that uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight into heat, which drives a turbine to generate electricity. With thermal storage—typically tanks of molten salt that hold heat—plants can supply power even after sunset. Peru receives high solar radiation, yet its electricity system is dominated by natural gas and hydropower. This study asks whether CSP with thermal storage is a techno‑economic option that makes sense for Peru. To answer this, it combines a geographic assessment using GIS software (Geographic Information Systems) to locate the most favorable sites, with an economic optimization of a 50 MW solar tower CSP plant using molten salt for heat transfer and storage. The findings suggest the technology has a promising future in the country, with a competitive levelized cost of electricity (LCOE—the average cost per unit of power over a plant’s lifetime) compared with current dominant solutions. The report aims to provide a starting point that encourages institutions and companies in Peru to consider CSP.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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