Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Parabolic Trough Power 

California Competitive 

Hank Price Bob Cabl

NREL KJC OC

Presented at the 2001 Solar Energ

held on April 21
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Disclaimer and Government License

This work has been authored by Midwest Research Institute (MRI) under Contract No. DE-AC36-9Department of Energy (the “DOE”). The United States Government (the “Government”) retains anthe work for publication, acknowledges that the Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevpublish or reproduce the published form of this work, or allow others to do so, for Government purNeither MRI, the DOE, the Government, nor any other agency thereof, nor any of their employeesor implied, or assumes any liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe any privately owned rig

specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otheimply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Government or any agency thereof. Tauthors and/or presenters expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of MRI, the Dagency thereof. 
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Restructuring of Califor

Power Market

• March 31, 1998 – California Deregul

Market 

• California Independent System Oper• California Power Exchange Opens (C• Investor Owned Utilities

– IOUs Sell Generation Assets– Purchase & sell power through CalPX– Renewables (QFs) on must take contrac

• Consumer Retail Rates Frozen
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

California Market 1998 & 

• Good hydro resource• Low cost natural gas• Low cost electricity• Utilities control most generation

⇒ Electricity Prices 2-3¢/kWh
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

1999 Cal PX Day Ahead Pr
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

California Market 200

• Reduced hydro resource• Utility generation sold to non-utility • Natural gas supply limitations & incr• Caps on CalPX pricing
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

2000 Cal PX Day Ahead Pr
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Resulting Impacts

• Transfer of utility generation assets

– Commercial decisions used to decide w

sell power

• Price Caps

– Natural gas prices too high for generato

in CalPX market

– Generators sell power outside CA– Generators sell power to CAISO outsid

• Utilities

– Utilities forced to pay more for electrici

charge

– Utilities stop paying for QF and CalPX 
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Re-Restructuring of Californi

Market

• January 2001 – CalPX Closes• California Department of Water Reso

– Purchases power for CAISO

• CAISO Balances load with out of ma
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

CalPX Market Clearing P

1999

¢/kWh

1999

% Inc

20

¢/k

Average Price 2.83Price For Solar 3.32 17%Solar with Storage 3.78 33%
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

CalPX Market Clearing P

1999

¢/kWh

1999

% Inc

20

¢/k

Average Price 2.83 11Price For Solar 3.32 17% 12Solar with Storage 3.78 33% 14
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

California 2000 Peak Day Resourc

Wednesday, August 16, 2000

05

1015202530354045

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

Time

Resource (GW )

Data f
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

1520253035

0 4 8 12 16 

Hour of Day (Pacific Standard 

CalPX System Load (GWe) Aug Dec Apr

California 1999 Average Hourly Sy
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Solar Output for 3 Solar Plant Config

Compared to CalPX System Load (July 1

05

10152025303540

0 4 8 12 16 2

Hour of Day

System Load (GWe)

System Load Solar w/o StorSolar w/Storage 2x Solar w/Sto
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Solar Output for 3 Solar Plant Config

Compared to CalPX System Load (July 1

0%

20%40%60%80%

100%

0 4 8 12 16 

Peak Load Hour (Decending)

% Capacity During Hour

Solar w/o Storage Solar w/Storage 2x 
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Wind Generation Durration Curv

[Peak Hours Only]

0

200400600800

100012001400

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70

Percent of Time Value Exceeds 

Generation (MW)

Maximum 

Capacity: 

Data fr
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Meeting Peak Hour Dem

Peak Capacity Facto

Wind 25%

Solar w/o Storage 36%Solar w/ Storage 87%2x Solar w Storage 102%
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Southern California Edi

Short Run Avoided Cost - Ga

02468

101214161820

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep O

Gas Price ($/MMBtu) 
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Wholesale Electric Price 

for Modern Combined Cycle 

CEC Assumptions: Heat rate = 6800 Btu/kWh, Cap = $100/kW/yr, 

02468

1012141618

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 

Power Plant Annual Load Factor

Generation Cost (¢/kWh) 
Concentrating Solar Power

SunLabSandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMNational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO

Wholesale Electric Price 

Combined Cycle Verses Trough S

100 MWe Trough Plant, Solar Multiple 1.6, 4 Hours Therm

02468

1012141618

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 

Power Plant Annual Load Factor

Generation Cost (¢/kWh)