The US Department of Energy will invest $60 million (43.5 million euro) in R&D for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) over the next three years to give a boost to the sector. Rapid technological evolution and favourable regulatory regimes has helped the CSP sector to get onto its feet quickly, nevertheless solar energy still only provides 1% of the global energy consumption. This is largely due to its intermittent nature and low density, as well as the price declines caused by the economic recession and overcapacity.

Currently Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy, the main rival to CSP, is commercially more successful, however CSP has the great advantage that its storage technology allows CSP power stations to deliver dispatchable electricity which can be stored and used even during the night.

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