Solar energy can contribute significantly to addressing the current challenges in energy and climate change. There is a notable growing need for countries to reduce their emissions and achieve greater energy independence while facing these factors:
• Increasing volatility in fossil fuel prices
• Significant increase in energy demand and CO2 emissions in emerging countries
• Decreased nuclear generation in the energy mix of developed and developing countries
Commercially proven technology
With the first commercial plants in the U.S., CSP technology has been in use for over 30 years. Plants have improved over time and significant technological developments have led to cost reduction and higher efficiency. CSP is neither an experimental technology nor one undergoing testing, but rather a commercial solution that can be adapted to a variety of geographic locations. Photovoltaic technology, in turn, with 60 GW in operation and commercial plants in place since the 1980s, is at a turning point in development, having succeeded in matching the cost of conventional electrical power generation sources in a number of regions.
Energy security
Diversification in the energy mix is one of the most important elements in energy policy. One of the most important benefits of solar energy is that it lowers the dependency on oil, gas and uranium of countries that do not have these resources available to them.
Solar energy increases the proportion of renewable energy in the energy mix and, in the case of CSP, enhances system reliability as the result of its dispatchability. Additionally, solar energy helps offset the volatility of fossil fuels.
Local job creation
During the construction and subsequent operation and maintenance over the course of the useful life of solar power plants, between 4 and 5 temporary jobs will be created for each MW during project execution and between 1 and 2 permanent positions per MW during the operating period.
Depending on the number of projects, manufacturing supply chains may develop, in addition to the creation of R&D facilities in the surrounding area.