If engineers just concentrate, they may be able to replace most of our power networks with solar technologies.

A new study says concentrating solar power (CSP) options could supply a large fraction of the power needed in a completely decarbonised energy system.

A paper from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis says the technology is ready for a bigger task than ever.

In the Mediterranean region, for example, the study shows that a connected CSP system could provide 70 to 80 per cent of current electricity demand, at no extra cost compared to gas-fired power plants.

That percentage is similar to the standard energy production a nuclear plant can provide.

The CSP approach uses the sun’s energy to heat up a liquid that drives turbines. This means that the collected energy can be stored as heat, and converted to electricity only when needed.

CSIRO in Australia is engaged in a number of exciting CSP projects. 

Even with CSP though, if the sun does not shine for long periods of time, the system may not be able to support large-scale energy needs.

One way to solve this problem is to build a large, connected network of CSP. Until now, however, nobody had explored the details and feasibility of such a plan.

In the new study, researchers simulated the construction and operation of CSP systems in four regions around the world, taking into account weather variations, plant locations, electricity demand, and costs.

“Our study is the first to look closely at whether it's possible to build a power system based primarily on solar energy, and still provide reliable electricity to consumers around the clock, every day of the year. We find this to be possible in two world regions, the Mediterranean basin and the Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa,” says study co-author Anthony Patt, a guest research scholar at IIASA.

“Solar energy systems can satisfy much more of our hunger for electricity, at not much more cost than what we currently have,” says researcher Stefan Pfenninger, from the Imperial College London.