Summer 2023 Solar Industry Update
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CSP Update
In June 2023, Chile published draft rules for its 2023 energy auction which SolarPaces believes will
incentivize dispatchable CSP. The auction includes incentives for non-variable renewables like CSP, a
splitting of the auction into three geographic zones, an increase in contract length to 20 years, and
may allow the transfer of systemic costs caused by short-term market factors.
In June 2023, Heliogen announced its first solar thermal hydrogen customer – the city of Lancaster,
California. Heliogen's Proxima plant, located in Lancaster, will provide the hydrogen. The plants will
contain 1,000-2,000 heliostats and a 1.8 GWe Bloom Energy electrolyzer.
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The first Spanish CSP plant in a decade could be built this year after the central government approved
the Environmental Impact Declaration. The 110 MW Solgest CSP plant is to be built along with 40 MW
of PV.
A Swiss team achieved a record solar-to-hydrogen device-level efficiency of greater than 20%, using a
CSP parabolic dish. The device is already operational, and a start-up is commercializing the system to
scale up the technology.
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