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As the cost of electricity from photovoltaics drops rapidly, some have begun to ask whether solar concentration has any place at all in our energy future. Nevertheless, even in Dubai, where record-low costs for PV electricity has recently been achieved, the state utility DEWA, a combined power and water provider, recently ordered the construction of a 700MW CSP plant which will sell electricity at 7.3 c/kWh, more than double the cost of energy from PV! This premium is associated to the intrinsic energy storage ability of CSP systems as PV energy production profile does not fully match electricity demand curve. Clearly, CSP provides an added value that points a way forward for solar concentration technologies. While the capacity for energy storage is the critical factor in this situation, concentration-based approaches can be advantageous in other aspects of the energy-water nexus, especially where desalination is the dominant pathway to satisfy water demand. We will discuss several areas where solar concentration can provide benefits for electricity and water production, including solar-driven water desalination; integration of solar electricity, daylighting and heating capacity in buildings; and boosting capacity factors and LCOE of unconventional photovoltaic power systems.
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