Concentrating solar thermal power: a flexible technology to support the decarbonization of the Italian energy and industrial sector, between potential and barriers

Concentrating solar thermal (CST), thanks to the availability of effective commercial solutions for long-life thermal storage, could play a key role in accompanying nonprogrammable electric renewables (photovoltaics, wind) toward increasingly high levels of penetration in the energy mix in the coming years.

In addition, by enabling the continuous production of medium- and high-temperature renewable heat, CST can also facilitate the decarbonization of thermal consumption, with particular reference to residential district heating applications and hard-to-abate industrial sectors.

In line with the SET Plan objectives, Italy includes CST among the technologies that can contribute to the achievement of the ambitious energy and climate goals of the Green Deal, aiming to develop European supply chains capable of supporting by 2030 at least 40 percent of the continent's net-zero technology requirements, however, the large-scale deployment of commercial CST plants today faces a legislative context that is not yet mature, as well as critical issues related to the financial sustainability of projects.

These issues will be the focus of a debate among representatives from research, industry and politics, as part of KEY - The Energy Expo 2025, also in light of the outcome of the SolarPACES Conference 2024, the world's benchmark event for CST technologies, which in October 2024 will bring together the world's leading experts in the field in Rome, providing a leading showcase for national excellence and an opportunity to consolidate the Italian network of stakeholders.

Specifically, as part of KEY 2025, discussions will focus on the following topics outlined in the following draft agenda.