Algeria has high levels of untapped solar potential and it is necessary to find solutions that take advantage of this fact. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants are one of the available renewable technologies which have more potential in regions with high direct solar radiations.
In this study, CSP plant potential in selected regions of southern Algeria was optimized using the System Advisor Model (SAM) software. This takes into account the influence of various determinants and new technologies such as Stored Thermal Energy (STE), and backup system. The results show that the technical parameters (plant efficiency, annual energy produced, the solar field’s size, and the amount of STE) depend greatly on the plant’s technology, variations in DNI, and average atmospheric conditions especially ambient temperature and relative humidity.
The Central Receiver Tower Power Solar Plant with storage thermal energy and backup systems using molten salt as heat transfer fluid and storage medium should be an option to take into account in the development of the Algerian system power compared to other solutions (SMopt = 2.8; LCOEopt = 15.11 Cent/kWh; CFopt = 87%; Annual Energy = 376 GW; FLHopt = 15 h). Therefore, the energetic potential in the selected site is estimated to be 400 GW.
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