A US Department of Energy decision to invest $60 million in concentrated solar power (CSP) research and development over the next three years has been seen a boon for an industry that is struggling to gain traction.
But around the world, the technology has been hit by price declines caused by overcapacity and recession that have increased the competitiveness of the industry's main rival, solar photovoltaic (PV) energy.
Mariàngels Pérez Latorre, the secretary general of the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association, said the US government's move would not dramatically change the US situation.
“This is nothing,” she told EurActiv. “It is one-fifth of the cost of a small 100MW plant, which would typically cost about half a million dollars.”
Decisions on whether to fund the building of such plants in the US are yet to be taken, she added. But CSP supporters are not encouraged by the US government's funding decision.
