Thermodynamic and economic assessment of a new generation of subcritical and supercritical solar power towers

The investment cost of the different SPTs also increases with the pressure and the temperature of the PB, with subcritical SPTs being less expensive than supercritical SPTs. However, the cost increase is balanced by the increase in the efficiency. The same cost per kWe is found in subcritical SPTs working at 16 MPa and in supercritical SPTs with low reheating pressure.