Potential solar thermal integration in Spanish combined cycle gas turbines

Combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) are volumetric machines, which means that their net power output decreases at air temperatures above the design point. Such temperatures generally occur during periods of high solar irradiation. Many countries where these conditions occur, including Spain, have installed a significant number of CCGTs in recent years, with the subsequent yield losses in the summer. This implies enormous potential for solar hybridization, increasing production in peak hours and overall efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions. This paper analyzes the overall potential for solar thermal integration in 51 CCGTS (25,340 MW) in mainland Spain under different operating scenarios based on increasing yield, solar fraction and the hourly operational range adapted to the Spanish electricity market, considering actual meteorological conditions. A production model for integrating solar energy into combined cycles is proposed and described and the code in R is freely released so that the assessment can be replicated. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.