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Beside continuous implementation of concentrating solar power plants (CSP) in Europe, which stipulate cost reduction by mass production effects, further R&D activities are necessary to achieve the cost competitiveness to fossil power generation. Therefore the cost range of 15–20 cents€/kWh for the currently planned CSP systems in Europe has to be decreased by a factor of 2–4. The European Concentrated Solar Thermal Roadmap (ECOSTAR) study that is conducted by leading CSP research institutes in Europe intends to stipulate the direction for R&D activities in the context of cost reduction. It uses a common methodology approach, based on an annual performance model to identify the most essential technical innovations that will reduce the cost of seven different CSP system concepts, which are currently under promotion world wide. The potential of innovative concepts for solar light weight concentrators, low-cost thermal energy storage concepts, solar receivers/absorbers and power cycles are in the main focus of interest. The results of the study include a description of the value of CSP power, the sensitivity of the electricity cost information, a list of innovations that have been investigated and recommendations for the focus of further R&D work.

In the field of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, parabolic trough systems with thermal oil as heat transfer fluid represent the technically and economically most mature technology. Due to storage systems these plants produce electricity on demand. However, a considerable portion of the annually collected thermal energy is consumed for the start-up procedure. In fact, after shut-down periods thermal masses must be reheated and additionally further energy losses due to imperfect start-up procedures occur. The present work has been carried out within the TURIKON project. The main goal is to evaluate and to optimize the transient behavior, namely the start-up of parabolic trough plants with thermal oil. For this purpose, a dynamic model was developed. An internal DLR solar library was used for the modelling of the solar field while the power block is modelled with the publically available ThermoPower library where some components had to be adapted for the needs of CSP plants. In the present publication first results are shown in order to demonstrate the capabilities of the plant model. The dynamic behavior of the power plant during normal operating mode and during a warm and a hot start-up procedure is evaluated and the warm start-up procedure energetically optimized.

Besides continuous implementation of concentrating solar power plants (CSP) in Europe, which stipulate cost reduction by mass production effects, further R&D activities are necessary to achieve the cost competitiveness to fossil power generation. The European Concentrated Solar Thermal Roadmap (ECOSTAR) study that was conducted by European research institutes in the field of CSP intends to stipulate the direction for R&D activities in the context of cost reduction. This paper gives an overview about the methodology and the results for one of the seven different CSP system concepts that are currently under promotion worldwide and considered within ECOSTAR. The technology presented here is the parabolic trough with direct steam generation (DSG), which may be considered as an evolution of the existing parabolic systems with thermal oil as heat transfer fluid. The methodology is explained using this exemplary system, and the technical improvements are evaluated according to their cost-reduction potential using a common approach, based on an annual performance model. Research priorities are given based on the results. The simultaneous implementation of three measures is required in order to achieve the cost-reduction target: Technical improvement by R&D, upscaling of the unit size, and mass production of the equipment.

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