Précis: 

Tex Wilkins, Executive Director of the new US Concentrated Solar Power Alliance, on how concentrated solar power provides a base load alternative to fossil fuels.

Interview by Rikki Stancich

Last week, (March 06) three leading companies in the concentrated solar power (CSP) sector, BrightSource Enery, Abengoa and Torresol, officially launched an advocacy group, the Concentrating Solar Power Alliance. Their objective is to educate electricity market stakeholders about concentrated solar power’s ability to provide 24-7 electricity, by using thermal storage.

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2nd CSP Optimisation Summit

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Gemasolar, world's first commercial-scale plant central tower receiver plant with molten salt heat storage.

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CSPA sheds light on thermal storage advantages

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Précis: 

India is positioning itself as global hub for solar power plants, but CSP developers say more support is needed to develop power supply chains and drive down generating costs. K.V Rao reports.

India’s solar potential lies in the successful implementation of its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).

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CSP Today India 2012

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India: CERC tariff benchmark too ambitious

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Dubai’s bold announcement of a 1GW solar park will see the first 10MW PV contract tendered in June, with concentrated solar power tenders to follow. Heba Hashem in Dubai reports.

As Abu Dhabi’s 100MW Shams 1 CSP plant approaches its completion date, Dubai is delving into solar power with a project ten times the capacity, incorporating both concentrated solar power and photovoltaics.

The Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park, named after the Dubai sovereign, aims to generate 1,000MW by 2030 at a total cost of Dh12 billion (€2.5bn; US$3.3bn). The first portion, a 10MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project, is scheduled for commissioning by the fourth quarter of 2013, at a cost of Dh120million (€24.7mn; US$32.6mn).

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MENASOL 2012

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CSP to dominate Dubai’s 1GW solar park

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