The value of thermochemical storage for concentrated solar power plants: Economic and technical conditions of power plants profitability on spot markets

•Physical and operation variables of plant and storage are simultaneously optimized.•The impact of variable prices is considered through the Net Present Value.•The number of discharging steps depends on day, season, solar multiple, or location.•The thermochemical storage is efficiently integrated in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy conversion and management 2019-10, Vol.198, p.111078, Article 111078
Main Authors: Tapachès, Emeric, Salas, David, Perier-Muzet, Maxime, Mauran, Sylvain, Aussel, Didier, Mazet, Nathalie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Calcium oxide/hydroxide reaction
Chemical and Process Engineering
Concentrated solar power plant
Dimensional and operational optimization
Economics
Electric power generation
Electricity pricing
Engineering Sciences
Optimization
Physical characteristics
Physical properties
Power plants
Profitability
Revenue
Solar energy
Solar power
Spot market
Subsidies
Sunset
Thermal storage
Thermochemical storage
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Summary:•Physical and operation variables of plant and storage are simultaneously optimized.•The impact of variable prices is considered through the Net Present Value.•The number of discharging steps depends on day, season, solar multiple, or location.•The thermochemical storage is efficiently integrated in storage and discharging steps.•Subsidies are still required but they are much lower than classical feed-in tariffs. This paper explores two new paradigms by studying the techno-economic relevance of a concentrated solar power plant in spot electricity markets involving strong price variations, and by investigating the integration of an innovative thermal storage performed by a thermochemical process in such plant. Its aim is to optimize simultaneously the physical characteristics of the storage and the operation of the plant (combining production/storage/discharge phases). The methodology is based on pre-scenarios for the plant operation, and net present value as optimization criteria. The results show original scenarios involving one or two discharge phases (according to day, season, solar multiple, or location) with higher revenues and stored energies than the classical scenario (i.e. one discharge at sunset). Nevertheless, these revenues in the spot market are too low, leading to negative net present values. Thus, such power plant requires subsidies, that are here estimated from 12 €/MWhe (depending on case study), which are much lower than classical flat feed-in tariffs.
ISSN:0196-8904
1879-2227
DOI:10.1016/j.enconman.2018.11.082