ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR THERMAL POWER
In contrast to photovoltaics where solar radiation is converted directly into electricity, solar thermal power plants are based on the conversion of solar energy into heat which subsequently drives a heat cycle for generating electricity.
Solar thermal plants entail significant advantages when compared to photovoltaics, the most important of which being the capability for heat energy storage, higher efficiency and increased electricity production.
Despite decades of heavy investment in several different technological approaches, electricity storage is still far from being commercially viable and photovoltaic plants remain effectively limited to daytime operation. On the contrary storing heat is both simpler and more economic, and modern solar thermal power plants commonly integrate several hours of energy storage.
TURBODEN ORC IN SOLAR THERMAL APPLICATIONS
Turboden units convert the heat collected by solar collectors into electricity through an efficient thermodynamic cycle based on the evaporation of a high molecular mass organic fluid to drive the turbine instead of the conventional high pressure steam.
Turboden's ORC units in solar thermal applications demonstrate high operational flexibility which allows efficient adaptation to the variability of solar radiation. Furthermore Turboden ORC based solar thermal power plants can easily be hybridized by adding biomass as a second source of heat, and by using thermal oil both as a heat transfer and heat storage medium.
Turboden ORC units combined with Concentrating Solar Power systems can be cost-effective in the range between 200 kW and 15 MW electric.
For an overview of Turboden ORC advantages in solar thermal applications click here 
TARGET MARKET
The several different system designs of Concentrating Solar Power collectors currently available, effectively address all market segments ranging from small scale, residential projects and up to industrial and utility scale projects .
Turboden ORC are particularly suitable for industrial scale projects from 1 to 10 MWel.
