Magazine Archives - Canal Solar

Article published in the Magazine Canal Solar – Vol. 7. No. 2. For years, solar thermal energy – known internationally as CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) – was treated by part of the market as a technology that had lost the race to photovoltaic panels. The rapid advancement of conventional solar, coupled with the accelerated drop in module prices and, subsequently, the growth of lithium batteries, drastically reduced global interest in solar thermal power plants. Now, however, the scenario is beginning to change. Amid the growing need for solutions capable of guaranteeing renewable energy storage for long periods and providing stability to electrical grids, CSP has once again gained attention in technical discussions. The movement is mainly led by China, which has been promoting an aggressive expansion of the technology in large hybrid complexes associated with wind and photovoltaic generation. The logic behind this resurgence is relatively simple. CSP has come to be seen not only as a source of solar generation, but as a long-term energy storage alternative. Unlike traditional electrochemical batteries, whose cost tends to increase significantly in applications exceeding eight hours of storage, solar thermal power plants can maintain heat stored in molten salts for long periods at costs considered more competitive in certain applications. This has allowed the technology to perform a function similar to that of a renewable "baseline generation," reducing the need to activate fossil fuel power plants to ensure the operational stability of electrical systems. The concept is especially important in countries that have significantly increased the participation of intermittent sources, such as solar photovoltaic and wind power. In these situations, CSP offers a strategic advantage: producing dispatchable renewable energy, even at night. In Brazil, the technology remains restricted to experimental and research projects, which, thanks to a pioneering initiative by [organization name missing], are now being developed. ANEEL (The National Electric Energy Agency) has allowed for promising conclusions regarding the local development of this type of generation. However, the sector is closely monitoring the global resurgence of the segment. The prospect of implementing a new power plant in Piauí in partnership with the Chinese company CGN Brazil Energy has once again reinforced interest in the subject. The National Energy Plan (PNE) 2055, incidentally, indicates that the theoretical potential for exploiting the main versions of solar thermal energy in the country would be in the range of 714 GW, equivalent to 151 million tons of oil equivalent per year. CSP vs. Photovoltaic Although both use the sun as a primary source, the operational logic of solar thermal energy is different from photovoltaic generation. In photovoltaic technology, the panels directly convert sunlight into electricity. In CSP, the process is thermal. Mirrors concentrate solar radiation onto a receiver, heating thermal fluids to high temperatures. The generated heat produces steam that drives turbines, in a process similar to that of a conventional thermal power plant, but replacing fossil fuels with solar heat. This characteristic brings a decisive advantage in the current scenario: the possibility of thermal storage. In many modern projects, especially solar tower projects, heat is stored in molten salts that remain at temperatures above 500°C for several hours. Subsequently, this heat can be used to continue producing steam and electricity even without direct sunlight. In practice, this means that a CSP plant can operate at night, during peak demand times, or during fluctuations in conventional wind and solar generation. International experts believe that this dispatchability has repositioned the technology strategically for 2026. Download the complete magazine and get free access to this report by clicking here.

Solar thermal power is gaining momentum globally and may return to the spotlight in Brazil.

Solar thermal power is gaining momentum globally and may return to the spotlight in Brazil.

Photovoltaic architecture in the Brazilian market

Photovoltaic architecture in the Brazilian market

Current Edition

Current Edition

Access opinion for centralized generation: what could the GD process assimilate?

Access opinion for centralized generation: what could the GD process assimilate?

Photovoltaic market in Brazil: forecasts for the end of 2023

Photovoltaic market in Brazil: forecasts for the end of 2023

Five thousand Brazilian municipalities already have solar energy

Residential solar energy is cheaper, points out Greener

Farmer bets on solar with battery and triples grain production

Changes in the Chinese market could affect prices of photovoltaic modules in Brazil

Uberaba HC implements solar plant; savings will be R$300 thousand per year

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