Concentrated solar power (CSP) is one of the few renewable power technologies capable of generating dispatchable electricity on demand. So, it could play a key role in the transition of the European power system. Despite this, CSP’s presence in most European policy agendas is largely missing. To some extent, this is because CSP is still a small and relatively immature technology, and no European country except Spain has deployed CSP at a commercial scale.

This absence of CSP, with or without cooperation mechanisms, can lead to Europe missing an opportunity to improve its energy security. For this purpose, CSP has a vital role to play, as it is one of the few, if not the only, dispatchable renewable power technology that can be scaled up in Europe: CSP can thus be used to stabilise the system as the shares of fluctuating renewables increase. As these fluctuations are the biggest threat to a renewables-based power system, CSP would increase the energy security of the European power system compared with any other climate-neutral configuration without CSP.

This absence of CSP, with or without cooperation mechanisms, can lead to Europe missing an opportunity to improve its energy security. For this purpose, CSP has a vital role to play, as it is one of the few, if not the only, dispatchable renewable power technology that can be scaled up in Europe: CSP can thus be used to stabilise the system as the shares of fluctuating renewables increase. As these fluctuations are the biggest threat to a renewables-based power system, CSP would increase the energy security of the European power system compared with any other climate-neutral configuration without CSP.

Check out now the last issue of the MUSTEC Policy Briefs here.

Check out our latest video on the Roadmap and Action Plan for the developement of collaborative Concentrated Solar Power projects in Europe here.