Bring me sunshine [concentrating solar power]

Efforts are being made to apply the technology of concentrating solar power (CSP) in many countries for creating carbon-free electricity. CSP is the most cost-effective way of capturing solar energy, but this might change in future with further developments in photovoltaics (PV). One feature of CSP is that it is possible to store solar heat in melted salts so that electricity generation may continue at night or on cloudy days. CSP could also become a major source of carbon-free energy for many countries that do not themselves have deserts. CSP plants can provide base load, intermediate load and peaking power according to need. The TRANS-CSP report calculates that CSP is likely to become one of the cheapest source of electricity in Europe, including the cost of transmission. CSP plants would be difficult to damage by any kind of attack and they would be easy to repair.