Solar photovoltaic vs concentrating solar power

What is the difference between photovoltaic and concentrated solar power?

Let’s find out. Using direct sunlight, Photovoltaic solar panels produce electricity via special cells, a method known as the photovoltaic effect. In addition, PV converts direct sunlight into an alternating current. Concentrated Solar Power, on the other hand, is vastly different from PV. CSP distributes electricity through a power network.

What is concentrating solar power & how does it work?

Learn the basics about concentrating solar power and how this technology generates energy. What is concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) technology and how does it work? CSP technologies use mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a receiver. The energy from the concentrated sunlight heats a high temperature fluid in the receiver.

What are the advantages of concentrated solar power?

The most attractive aspect of concentrated solar power is that it is renewable. As long as the sun is shining, we get free solar energy in abundance, we can continue to convert the heat energy in sunlight to electricity using concentrated solar-thermal technology. It’s sustainable and green and helps in reducing the carbon footprint.

What is concentrating solar power (CSP)?

Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a dispatchable, renewable energy option that uses mirrors to focus and concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, from which a heat transfer fluid carries the intense thermal energy to a power block to generate electricity. CSP systems can store solar energy to be used when the sun is not shining.

What is the difference between CSP and photovoltaic?

The main difference between CSP and photovoltaics is that CSP uses the sun's heat energy indirectly to create electricity, and PV solar panels use the sun's light energy, which is converted to electricity via the photovoltaic effect. Concentrated solar power systems require a significant amount of land with direct sunlight or irradiance.

What is the difference between concentrating solar-thermal power plants and solar panels?

While solar panels can be deployed for residential, commercial, as well as utility-scale levels, concentrating solar-thermal power is more suitable for utility-scale power generation. Because of current technological limitations, concentrated solar-thermal power plants can be built only in areas with high solar irradiance.