Optimization Analyses of Parabolic Trough (CSP) Plants for the Desert Regions of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

摘要

The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of installing concentrating solar power plants in Middle East. A case study is performed for this purpose in the Ma'an area in southern Jordan. Due to water scarcity in most MENA region, contrasting analogy between hot and dry cooling is performed. The performance of CSP plant is simulated using SAM software. The simulation results predict that solar field size and thermal energy storage systems play major role in determining the energy cost. Moreover, it is found that larger plant size has lower values of levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Furthermore, LOCE for 50 MW using dry cooling ranges between 12.88 and 13.40 c$/kW, while it ranges between 11.23 c$/kW and 13.56 23 c$/kW for wet cooling. Finally, it is found that dry cooling option has a great economical potential for generating energy in water scare regions. Therefore, implementing optimal CSP plants in Maan area has great economic impact in Jordan's economic and reduces its dependent on imported oil.