With close to 130 projects under development in Spain and over 50 projects in the U. S. pipeline, the CSP sector will require as much as US$80 billion of investment over the next decade.

This projected figure has been shared by Emerging Energy Research in its latest study.

It underlined that Spain’s 130‐project, 5,700 MW pipeline is taking on greater significance considering the current status of the U. S. economy and the lagging U. S. permitting process.

The study also highlighted that with tax equity slashed by more than 50 percent leading utilities and IPPs are gaining the upper hand on the emerging group of CSP start-ups and developers. Also, a new group of CSP technology providers are emerging to meet the 23 GW proposed globally.

No new concentrating solar power plants were completed in the U. S. last year.

A report by the Solar Energy Industries Association has highlighted that new technology developments, demonstration plants and commercialised storage technologies in 2008 paved the way for CSP development to break out over the next few years.

Read more: SEIA, permitting process, utilities, IPP