IEA STE Technology Roadmap

The future energy generation mix will be largely based in renewable technologies in order to achieve the ultimate goal of zero emissions. Thanks to its distinct characteristics: dispachability, storage and hybridisation potential which result in high capacity factors and firm electricity supply comparing to other intermittent renewable technologies, Solar Thermal Electricity will have an important share in the mix by 2030 and beyond.

According to the IEA publication “Solar Energy Perspectives”, the expected production of STE in 2030 will be around 1,200 TWh/year.

Regarding southern Europe and our neighbouring countries in the MENA region, Solar Thermal Electricity is expected to take the major share in the long future as shown in the figure where a contribution over 2,000 TWh/year by 2050 in expected.

Greenpeace Global Outlook

Greenpeace used a model to generate scenarios based on a Reference scenario or “business as usual” for world governments, as well as Moderate and Advanced scenarios based on realistic policies to support development of this clean, renewable technology. Under the Moderate scenario, the countries with the most sun resources, together, could:

• Create over €16 billion investment in 2020, peaking at €162 billion in 2050;

• Create more than 70,000 by 2020, and about 938,000 jobs in 2050; and

• Save 32 million tonnes of CO₂ annually in 2020 and rising to 1.2 billion tonnes in 2050.