ABSTRACT
This entry deals with concentrating solar power (CSP), a promising technology to convert solar energy into electrical power. In CSP technology solar energy is used as a thermal source in thermodynamic cycles. The aim of this technology is to collect solar heat by concentrator systems and use it in power blocks or store it for operation during night and cloudy periods as well. Different types of concentrating devices and different plant layout solutions are under development: the opportunity of exploiting solar energy using CSP technology is presented here and the economic impacts of different technical solutions are discussed.
