Concentrating solar thermal power generation in Sudan: Potential and challenges

Ahmed Gamil, Peiwen Li, Babkir Ali and Mohamed Ali Hamid

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2022, vol. 161, issue C

Abstract: Sudan is a sunbelt country that has abundant solar resources and large wasteland areas, especially in the northern and western portions. Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies are proven renewable energy (RE) systems to generate electricity in neighboring countries from solar radiation and have the potential to become cost-effective in the future. Most of the attention is given to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems; no thorough techno-economic study has been carried out to evaluate the potential for CSP technologies in Sudan. The main aim of this paper is to encourage Sudan's authorities to pursue CSP technologies and overcome the associated challenges. The study used techno-economic analysis for two of the most mature CSP technologies – solar power tower (SPT) and parabolic trough (PT) technology – to produce electricity in Sudan. Two commercial CSP plants, namely GEMASOLAR and ANDASOL-1, have been “hypothetically” relocated in six Sudanese zones using the system advisor model (SAM). These zones were scrutinized based on a rigorous technical CSP site assessment study. The results indicate that the nominated zones outperformed the original Spanish plants in terms of energy outputs, capacity factors (CF), and levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The Northern state has two zones near Wadi-Halfa that are most suitable for installing CSP systems, with the SPT system offering better outcomes than the PT. This study proposes a 5 MWe SPT pilot plant with optimum specifications, enabling decision-makers to take further actions. It also recommends some actions to promote this sector and meet the 2030 and 2050 RE targets.

Keywords: Solar energy; Concentrated solar power (CSP); Site assessment; Techno-economic analysis; System advisor model (SAM); Sudan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032122002763
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:161:y:2022:i:c:s1364032122002763

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 600126/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2022.112366

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is currently edited by L. Kazmerski

More articles in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().