About
The Concentrated Solar Thermal Technologies Implementation Working Group (IWG CSTT) was set up in April-May 2016 as a temporary implementation group. This IWG brings together stakeholders, the European Commission and SET Plan countries to discuss the ambitious initiative of the European concentrated solar power (CSP) industry becoming a global leader in its field. The IWG revised its Implementation Plan in 2023.
In 2024, the IWG plans to broaden its scope to include non-concentrated solar thermal technologies.
With the European Green Deal, the European Commission intends to address European citizens’ wealth and health, increasing the EU’s contribution to fighting climate change while boosting its economy.
The European CSP industry brings solutions that are available for decarbonising energy systems, while opening a wide range of business opportunities and creating sustainable jobs – which are central to a green recovery for Europe.
In the light of CSTT, the decarbonisation potential applies to three sectors:
- electricity
- heating and cooling
- transport.
Currently, electricity appears to be the easier-to-reach target, while heat and, in particular, transport face complex challenges – it will take more time and effort for their targets to be reached. However, smart integration of energy policies will result in innovative multi-technology solutions having a positive impact on the three sectors.
Targets and objective
Through thermal energy storage, CSP can help transform Europe’s energy system by ensuring it has an essential share of dispatchable renewable electricity. By providing flexibility for grid services, CSP can help integrate variable renewables, such as photovoltaic (PV) or wind energy, into the energy system. This helps make the transmission grid more reliable.
To remain a global leader, the European industry needs to stay ahead with more advanced, competitive technologies. Other countries are stepping up technology and commercial efforts in CSP – all targeting the same global markets as the European industry.
Furthermore, it is crucial that innovation (i.e. new technologies reaching the market) takes place in Europe to maintain the confidence of investors and promotors in European CSP technologies. In Europe, there has been a clear failure in introducing new CSP technologies to the market, e.g. when trying to move from demonstration to a first-of-a-kind commercial-scale plant technology.
The IWG CSP Implementation Plan updates the agreed strategic targets on CSP from 2015, to the following five targets:
- cost reduction of electricity provided during periods with low wind, PV or hydropower infeed
- development of the next generation of CSP/STE technology (NEXTGEN)
- at least one first-of-a-kind technology integrated in the energy system by 2025
- thermal energy cost targets for industrial process heat applications
- demonstration of 24/7 economically viable solar thermal baseload production of green hydrogen and other solar fuels by 2030.
Composition
Spain is chairing this IWG. Its members include representatives of the following countries:
- Belgium
- Cyprus
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- Portugal
- Spain (Chair)
- Türkiye
Other active members: Research centres, funding agencies, industrial associations and academia, including European Solar Thermal Electricity Association (ESTELA), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), EREA, DLR, Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), European Association of Gas and Steam Turbine Manufacturers (EUTurbines), University of Évora, and the University of Cyprus.
