• Energy Research
• 2025-2025close
• Restricted close
• Open Source close
• CA close
• ES close
• DE close
• AU close

Thermal energy storage (TES) plays a key role in concentrating solar power (CSP) plants by enhancing dispatchability and improving overall system efficiency. This study presents a comparative techno-economic analysis of three TES configurations integrated into CSP plants: (i) the conventional two-tank molten salt system, (ii) a phase change material (PCM)-based system with a cascade arrangement, and (iii) a concrete-based system. While technical performance simulations indicate similar annual energy production across all cases, significant differences emerge in economic viability. The PCM TES system demonstrates the lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCoE) at $14.35/kWh, leveraging its high energy density and reduced material requirements, despite lower efficiency (93 % compared to 99 % in molten salt). Conversely, the concrete TES system, while capable of extended discharge at partial loads, incurs higher parasitic losses and investment costs, resulting in a higher LCoE ($16.16/kWh). The cost analysis further highlights the cost-performance quotient (CPQ) as a valuable metric for assessing TES competitiveness, with PCM exhibiting the most favorable CPQ of $1.04/kWh. These findings underscore the necessity of integrating economic assessments into TES selection for CSP plants. Moreover, the study identifies opportunities for cost reduction in concrete TES through optimized modular designs and improved material formulations. This work provides valuable insights for policymakers, engineers, and industry stakeholders aiming to enhance the financial feasibility of next-generation CSP storage solutions. This study receives funding from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación – Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) through the PCI2020-120695-2 project and the European Union “NextGenerationEU”/PRTR“. CSP-ERA.NET is supported by the European Commission within the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 (Cofund ERA-NET Action, N° 838311). This work was partially funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España TED2021-132216A-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union by NextGenerationEU/PRTR. This work was partially funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación – Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) (PID2021-123511OB-C31 – MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE) and (RED2022-134219-T). This work is partially supported by ICREA under the ICREA Academia programme. The authors from University of Lleida would like to thank the Departament de Recerca i Universitats of the Catalan Government for the quality accreditation given to their research group (2021 SGR 01615). GREiA is certified agent TECNIO in the category of technology developers from the Government of Catalonia.

Not only advances but also old addictions, setbacks, obstructions and delays are observed during COP16 (on biodiversity), COP29 (on climate change) and G20 in a year full of tragedies resulting from climate change; we need to look in the rearview mirror and plan new paths to be presented and discussed at COP30, in 2025, in the Brazilian Amazon. Worldwide temperature records show that 2023 and 2024 were the warmest in at least the last 2000 years (Esper, Torbenson, and Büntgen 2024). About 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases and 30% of human emissions of carbon dioxide are stored in the ocean, shielding the planet from even more rapid changes in the biosphere. The recent acceleration in climate change is a threat not only to terrestrial systems but also to largely neglected marine ecosystems and their socio-biodiversity. Considering the relationship between global warming and biological extinctions (Malanoski et al. 2024), as well as the high vulnerability of marine biodiversity to these global threats (Pinsky et al. 2019), we call for the urgent need to create global and multilateral policies that are based on climate-smart ocean planning and carbon neutrality, focused on climate adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect, restore and foster sustainable management of marine socio-ecological systems (Frazão Santos et al. 2024).

In a hybrid AC/DC microgrid (MG), power quality issues arise when an unbalanced load connects to the AC subgrid, which are not confined to the AC subsystem but extend to affect the DC subsystem as well. This paper investigates the potential power quality issues caused by AC imbalance, including DC voltage fluctuation and AC current harmonics. Multiple control objectives are developed, aiming to eliminate DC fluctuation, reduce AC distortion and imbalance, and achieve negative sequence current sharing among distributed generations in the AC subgrid. To realize these control objectives, a two-layer coordinated control strategy is proposed. The first layer involves local interlinking converter (IC) control to improve the power quality of the DC subgrid, while the second layer focuses on distributed unbalance compensation control to improve the power quality of the AC subgrid. Finally, several experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

This file shows the net electricity and heat production by autoproducers in all plants, in 40 sectors. It contains 38 OECD countries, 14 non-OECD countries, and 7 aggregates. Data are in GWh and TJ, and begin in 1974. [Dataset editions 2015-2016, 2018-2023]. IEA Electricity Information Statistics

2015-2023 editions of the data. Mexico data is included in the 2019-2022 editions. Lithuania data is included in the 2020-2022 editions. The 2023 edition of the data contains less countries than in any other version; countries included are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy. This table includes statistical projections on the energy balance for IEA countries by analyzing their respective products (coal, oil, nuclear, hydro, biofuels and more) in terms of flow. Data are expressed in thousand tonnes of oil equivalent(ktoe) and forecasts extend to 2030. [Data editions 2015-2023] Energy Projections for IEA Countries

<p>In this table, a balance for different types of coal and coal products, including manufactured gases is shown. The aggregates for hard coal and brown coal are also included, as is a product coal which includes all primary coal types, and all derived coal products with the exception of gas works gas. This table provides full balance data such as primary energy supply, transformation sector and final consumption based in kilotonnes of coal equivalent (7,000 Gigacalories) for OECD countries and OECD country aggregate groups. </p> <p> This table provides full energy balance data of coal and other products such as primary energy supply, transformation sector and final consumption. Products: anthracite, coking coal, other bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, lignite, patent fuel, coke oven coke, gas coke, coal tar, BKB, gas works gas, coke oven gas, blast furnace gas, other recovered gases, peat, peat products and oil shale and oil sands. The aggregates hard coal, brown coal and steam coal are also included. Units: kilotons of coal equivalent (7,000 Gigacalories), kilotons of oil equivalent (10,000 Gigacalories), Terajoules and Teracalories. Electricity and Heat output flows are in Gigawatt-hour and Terajoules, respectively. [Data editions 2015-2023]</p> IEA Coal Information Statistics

This dataset comprises statistics regarding various renewable and waste energy while presenting trade statistics of various renewable energy products as well as figures for those products in terms of electricity output (GWh) and heat output(TJ). [Dataset editions 2015-2023]. IEA Renewables Information Statistics