The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed an upward revision of the benchmark cost of concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies programme. The initiative is taken with the aim to promote energy efficiency.
According to MNRE, the new benchmark cost will be related to the performance efficiency in design and manufacturing of systems so that smaller systems could deliver more energy in a cost effective manner. The existing benchmark costs of the CST systems were developed under ‘off-grid & decentralised solar application’ scheme of the National Solar Mission in 2010.
Concentrating solar thermal (also known as concentrated solar power or CSP) systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight, or solar thermal energy, onto a small area.
The CST systems include non-imaging compound (NIC) parabolic reflectors, single axis automatic tracked (Scheffler, PTC, LFR, etc), and dual axis automatic tracked (paraboloid dishes, central tower etc). The proposed revision in the benchmark cost on the basis of instantaneous heat output/ heat delivery from CST systems will also accommodate increase in the cost of various components of CST systems.
According to MNRE, the new benchmark cost will be related to the performance efficiency in design and manufacturing of systems so that smaller systems could deliver more energy in a cost effective manner. The existing benchmark costs of the CST systems were developed under ‘off-grid & decentralised solar application’ scheme of the National Solar Mission in 2010.
Concentrating solar thermal (also known as concentrated solar power or CSP) systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight, or solar thermal energy, onto a small area.
The CST systems include non-imaging compound (NIC) parabolic reflectors, single axis automatic tracked (Scheffler, PTC, LFR, etc), and dual axis automatic tracked (paraboloid dishes, central tower etc). The proposed revision in the benchmark cost on the basis of instantaneous heat output/ heat delivery from CST systems will also accommodate increase in the cost of various components of CST systems.