Comparative study of parabolic trough power plant with integrated TES and BS using synthetic oil and molten salt

Parabolic trough solar thermal power plant is considered as one of the most mature, successful, proven and attractive technologies to produce electricity. The aim of this present study is to compare parabolic trough solar power plant with integrated thermal storage and fossil fuel backup system using two different heat transfer fluid (HTF); synthetic oil and molten salt. The comparison in their design, yield, as well as the determination and comparison of the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) are described. The results indicate relevant differences; the oil plant required much higher aperture area for the solar field than the molten salt plant with more than 9.24 % and much higher storage volume by 70.31 %. While, the annual energy production of the first plant is about 11.10 % better, and its total investment cost is about 31.17% higher. This causes about 16.41% higher LCOE of this plant.