Standardized Economic Evaluation Criteria of Solar Process Heat in Hybrid Systems - Results from IEA SHC Task 64 Subtask E
Abstract
Industry accounts for 30% of the total energy demand and faces significant challenges in achieving the set decarbonization goals. Therefore, it is crucial to provide end users with state-of-the-art technologies like solar process heat and optimized combinations with other technologies like excess heat recovery and heat pumps. A barrier, that hinders industrial end users from implementing available solutions, is the challenge of assessing developed concepts not only from technical perspectives but also applying economic parameters. The objective of the Subtask E of the joint IEA SHC Task 64 / SolarPACES Task IV is to identify existing barriers, used assessment criteria of all relevant stakeholders and the definition of mandatory parameters, merging the perspectives of solar process heat with other technologies. To achieve this, survey was performed to collect feedback from the stakeholders concerning technical and economic criteria. Analysis of the results reveals the relevance of various criteria with respect to different project phases. Different economic parameters and the CO2 abatement costs turn out to be highly relevant throughout all project phases, while the relevance of investment and operating costs exhibits peaks in the detailed planning and operating/implementation project phase respectively.