Comparative analysis of the solar energy role in the supply of electricity in Spain and California

Maria Garcia, Michel

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/107278 Copy

Description

Title

Comparative analysis of the solar energy role in the supply of electricity in Spain and California

Author(s)

Maria Garcia, Michel

Contributor(s)

Gross, George

Issue Date

2020-05

Keyword(s)

• solar PV
• CSP
• California
• Spain
• emissions
• grid

Abstract

Solar energy resources have become one of the greatest options among renewable energy sources around the world, as they have had a huge development in terms of technical efficiency, that has come alongside with a great reduction of the manufacturing cost during recent times. These two factors combined made solar energy very attractive as an energy source, especially in a world with increasing need in terms of energy consumption, and with the urgency of reducing CO2 emissions that pollute the atmosphere. The main objective of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of the two solar energy technologies, solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) that have evolved over the last decade in two key regions in the world – California in the US and Spain in Europe. These two regions are among the early adopters of solar of technologies and have been at the forefront of its rapid development. We shall determine what have been the differences in the introduction of these technologies into the grid during the period studied, from 2008 to 2018 and how the level of performance in terms of the capacity factor (c.f.) has developed during those years. For doing so, we will determine the main characteristics of the electricity power systems of both regions, the consumption, in-region generation, peak load, role of renewables in the grid among others, to then focus on solar PV and CSP. We will look at the evolution of the capacity installed and generation of both technologies in both regions, how the level of performance has been year to year, to then make an analysis on the amount of CO2 emissions avoided by the electricity generation of solar resources using two different methods. Also, a brief analysis on the difference in cost and the levelized cost of energy of solar PV and CSP is made.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/107278

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