Concentrated solar power potential in Libya

Abstract EN

The aim of this study was to investigate the technical and economic potential of parabolic trough with molten sait stora^ge in Libya.

The technical aspect was addressed for the perfoiman^ce of a parabolic trou^gh demon^strati^on plant installed in three different representative location^s.

While the economic aspect was addressed through the estimation of the Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) generated by a 50MW plant in each of the three selected locations in Libya.To developinvestment guidelines usin^g con^centrated solar power CSP, this paper presents the technical and economic fea^sibility ana^lysis for three selected locations representin^g three major climatic regions in Libya (Tripoli, Sabha, and Alkufra).

Solar resources from ground stations and/or from the available satellite m^ea^surements for the three different location^swere collected and assessed.

A detailed technical an^d dynamic an^lysishas been made usin^g a specially design^ed Microsoft Excel sheets and SAM software issued by the n^ation^al renewable energy laboratory NREL revealin^g produ^ctivity for every hour throughout the whole year.

The an^alysis showed th^at, the m^aximum produ^ctivity of a proposed 50 MW PTC power plants (without stora^ge) a^re 89.2, 120.3, and 143.7 GWh respectively for the three locations respectively, while the Levelized Costs of Energy LCOE are $162.7, $118.3, and $91.ï/MWh respectively dependin^g on the location (Direct Normal Irradiation DNI) and energy stora^ge.

Analysis estimated that the LCOE of a PTC plants declines by around 4% for every 100 kWh/m2/year of the DNI radiation that exceeds 1800 k Wh/m2/year