What is concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar thermal electric power?
There are (3) three main types of concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies: trough systems, dish/engine systems, and power towers. These technologies are used in CSP plants that use different kinds of mirror configurations to convert the sun’s energy into high-temperature heat. The heat energy is then used to generate electricity in a steam generator. CSP’s relatively low cost and ability to deliver power during periods of peak demand—when and where we need it—mean that CSP can be a major contributor to the nation’s future needs for distributed sources of energy. For more information, please go to http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar/csp.
There are (3) three main types of concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies: trough systems, dish/engine systems, and power towers. These technologies are used in CSP plants that use different kinds of mirror configurations to convert the sun’s energy into high-temperature heat. The heat energy is then used to generate electricity in a steam generator. CSP’s relatively low cost and ability to deliver power during periods of peak demand—when and where we need it—mean that CSP can be a major contributor to the nation’s future needs for distributed sources of energy.
