Evaluation of the potential of central receiver solar power plants: Configuration, optimization and trends

•The paper presents an analysis for a medium size central receiver power plant.•The net annual energy could be increased around 35%, from Seville-to-Carnarvon.•A molten nitrate salt system results in a lower LEC than a direct steam system.•The lower annual DNI is, the higher LEC differences between both technologies are.•The solar field produces the larger LEC reduction.

This paper presents a parametric analysis for a medium to large size (290–500 MWth receiver thermal power) central receiver plant considering the present market trends. The analysis is divided in 4 steps:•Size and location analysis: for a medium to large size central receiver power plant, three turbine power and three different locations that are involved in the development of power tower plants, have been analyzed to assess the impact over the design characteristics of the solar field and receiver sub-systems and over the levelized electricity cost.•Technology analysis: as commercial power tower plants in operation today are mainly using steam and molten nitrate salts, the present analysis compares the two main technologies, without thermal energy storage to evaluate both under similar design conditions.•Storage analysis: thermal energy storage increases the value of electricity produced and the plant capacity factor for both technologies (steam and molten nitrate salts). For this reason, the analysis shows for each optimized solar field and receiver thermal power, the optimum combination of turbine power and thermal energy storage that minimizes the levelized electricity cost, for both technologies.•Component’s cost analysis: market trends are focused on the specific cost reduction by means of larger plant size and through an improved economy of scale. As a result, and based on baseline cost parameters widely accepted in solar industry, an analysis over the specific costs of major components on the electricity cost has been carried out, to lead where the research and development efforts should be made.