In the past year of 2017, regions like China, Middle East and Africa are actively advancing CSP projects development, which made great contribution to global CSP commercialization and industrialization.

So, in your mind, which CSP projects are the hottest and got your greatest attention in 2017? Just vote for them!

According to public data, CSP Focus nominates 20 CSP projects (10 international & 5 in China) as listed in the below chart.

CSP Focus will announce the returns next week with the top 10 hottest CSP projects in 2017 (5 international & 5 in China) on CSP Focus website and social media.

Relevant conference: CSP Focus China 2018, Beijing, China, March 22-23th

Brief Introduction--International CSP Project:

【Australia】Aurora 150MW Molten Salt Tower Project
SolarReserve won the project with the lowest price of USD 6 cents/kWh. The project got development permission in October 2017 and final approval might be finished in the first half of 2018. The project is expected to be accomplished in 2020.

【Chile】Cerro Dominador 110MW Molten Salt Tower Project

The project is the first planned molten salt tower project in Chile. The project belongs to Atacama1 solar complex together with a 100MW PV project. Abengoa announced its restart as EPC at the end of 2016. The PV plant connects its first 62 MW to grid at August 2017 and the CSP project is predicted to be finished in 2019.

【Dubai】DEWA 700MW 1xTower & 3x Parabolic Trough Project
Consortium of ACWA Power and Shanghai Electric was awarded the developer of Dubai Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Phase 4 CSP project in September 2017 by DEWA with the price of USD 7.3 cents/kWh. The 700MW project consists of one 100MW Tower project and three 200MW Parabolic Trough projects.

【Israel】Ashalim Plot A 110MW Parabolic Trough & Plot B 121MW Tower Project
Ashalim solar power complex comprises two CSP projects and one PV project. Ashalim Plot B has the highest tower (240 meters) until now in the world. Both of the projects will be connected to grid at the beginning of 2018.

【Morocco】NOOR II 200MW Parabolic Trough & NOOR III 150MW Molten Salt Tower Project
As part of world biggest solar power complex, NOOR I 160MW Parabolic Trough project operated in 2016 and NOOR II & NOOR III were well developed in 2017 and expected to be connected to gird in early 2018.

【Oman】Mirrah 1GWth CSP EOR Project

Developed by Glasspoint and PDO, the project is the biggest CSP EOR Project in the world and pioneer for solar ERO development. The first phase successfully generated steam in September 2017.

【South Africa】Bokpoort 50MW Parabolic Trough Project
The project was connected to grid in March, 2016 and has been operating with great performance.
With 9.3 hours thermal energy storage system, the thermal capacity reaches 1300MWht. 1009.31MWh generating capacity on Nov 27, 2017 set the highest day record since its operation.

【South Africa】Xina Solar One 100MW Parabolic Trough Project
The project was completed on August 16, 2017, becoming the fourth commercial CSP plant in South Africa. Equipped with 5.5 hours molten salt thermal energy storage system and 400000 MWh planned annual energy output, the project outperforms the expectation.

【USA】Crescent Dunes 110MW Molten Salt Tower Project
The project was restarted and operational on July 12, 2017 after the accident of molten salt tank leak. The project achieved great performance in a total solar eclipse condition in August 2017 and afterwards.

【USA】Ivanpah 392MW Tower Project
The project is the biggest installed CSP project in the world. It has been operating well for four years since 2014, and the project can provide maximum 400MWh/h for California.

Brief Introduction--China CSP Projects:

CGN Delingha 50MW Parabolic Trough Project
It is expected to be the first commercial parabolic trough project in China, and connected to the grid in June 2018, becoming the first operational pilot CSP project in China.

CNNC Royal Tech Urad 100MW Parabolic Trough Project
With advanced technology and big investment, the project is one of the largest parabolic trough projects in China. China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation is the EPC contractor. Field leveling was started on July 21, 2017 and it’s expected to be connected to the grid at the end of 2018.

CPECC Hami 50MW Molten Salt Tower Project
Construction was started on Oct 19, 2017, and the receiver tower base was concreted and on December 13, 2017. It’s expected to be connected to the grid in June, 2019.

Jinfan Akesai 50MW Molten Salt Parabolic Trough Project
The project adopts molten salt parabolic trough technology. In the second half of 2017, the project finished design work and main equipment procurement. The project is expected to be connected to the grid at the end of 2018.

Power China Gonghe 50MW Tower Project
The project was started construction on June 18, 2017. Biddings for heliostat civil construction, power block construction, cooling system, molten salt pump and generator have been opened. The project is expected to be connected to the grid at the end of 2018.

Rayspower Yumen 50MW Trough Project
The first pilot project in Yumen who signed agreement and start construction. Biddings for solar field EPC, power block EPC, HTF&TES EPC and steam generator have been launched earlier in 2017. The field leveling word was started on August 12, 2017.

Royal Tech Yumen 50MW Parabolic Trough Project
Biddings on components like steam generator and heat exchanger are open. The project is expected to connect to the grid at the end of 2018. Silicone oil is used as heat-transfer fluid, indicating the project will be the first commercial CSP project in the world who adopts silicone oil as HTF.

Shouhang Dunhuang 100MW Molten Salt Parabolic Trough Project
The project is one of well-developed CSP pilot projects in China. The tower was completed on November 4th, 2017 and the project is expected to be connected to the grid in August 2018.

Supcon Delingha 50MW Molten Salt Tower Project
The project is the first CSP pilot project who began construction (Oct. 25, 2016) after CSP FiT was announced. The tower is above 200 meters and the project is equipped with 7 hour thermal storage. It’s expected to be connected to the grid at the end of 2018.

Yumen Xinneng 50MW Molten Salt Tower Project
Comprised of 15 beam-down tower modules, the project takes innovative beam-down tower CSP technology with molten salt thermal storage. Construction was started in the middle of 2017 and molten salt thermal storage system was started construction in December 2017. The project is expected to be connected to the grid at the end of 2018.