Study about Hybrid CSP - PV plants for the MENA Region

This paper presents the outcomes of the project HYMENSO - Hybrid Concentrated Solar Thermal Power (CSP) and Photovoltaic (PV) plants for MENA Region -which had the main goal to investigate the optimal configuration of solar power plants for selected sites in Jordan, Tunisia and Algeria. This technology hybridization is becoming popular since it can harvest the advantages of both systems: easy installation and low LCOE (levelized cost of electricity) for PV, versatility and dispatchability of CSP. Additionally, fossil back-up with natural gas is also analyzed. The project HYMENSO was funded by the participants' countries in the framework of ERANETMED. This paper presents results with focus on the simulation of the hybrid CSP-PV systems, due to its innovative character and current relevance. It has been demonstrated that there are many configuration options for hybridizing CSP and PV systems, therefore requiring the definition of further boundary conditions to determine an optimum, such as limitation of CO2 emissions in case that fossil back-up is used, expected satisfaction of the electricity demand, available land or water limitations. Important to notice is that for countries with a high fossil fuel price, the hybridization with natural gas reduces the overall LCOE only until a share of the generated energy of about 20%, higher use of fossil fuel is for such sites rich in solar irradiation not of noticeable advance.