Are Solar Thermal Power Plants Doomed?

Greentech Media

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) [including all concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies, such as trough, tower, and dish-engine - as well as concentrating PV (CPV) technologies including companies such as Amonix, SolFocus, and Concentrix] is one of our favorite renewable energy technologies, but it might be in serious trouble. (...) The relentless price declines of PV panels allows developers to build PV plants at a lower cost than their CST cousins. The better comparison is levelized cost of energy (LCOE). PV is cheaper today, and expected to widen its edge over the next decade. By 2020, the CSP technologies are expected to be in the $0.10-$0.12/kWh range, whereas PV is forecast between $0.07-$0.08/kWh.