Assessing the feasibility of retrofitting parabolic trough power plants with integrated photovoltaic systems for grid integration

Abstract

This study addresses the optimization issues of a Parabolic Trough (PT) power plant by retrofitting it with a photovoltaic (PV) plant to find the optimal configuration for already operational Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants. A simulation tool based on Modelica and OpenModelica has been developed to analyze and optimize the performance of CSP/PV hybrid plants under several grid limitation scenarios, one of which includes an electrical heater to utilize the PV surplus, considering the impact of hybridization on their overall performance and therefore also on their economic viability. The results obtained provide clear insights into how different configurations of CSP and PV plants interact and how certain variables, such as the PV ratio and thermal storage size, influence the overall performance of the hybrid plant.