What is the potential for parabolic trough technology in the United States and the World?
Recent siting studies for parabolic trough technology show that sites in the southwestern United States have a high direct normal solar resource potential and low slope (<1%). And exclusions for environmentally sensitive lands and urban areas sufficiently provide the total U.S. electric power generation several times over. Realistically, the potential of concentrating solar power in the Southwest could reach hundreds of gigawatts or greater than 10% of U.S. electric supply. By 2015, the Western Governors' Association estimates that 4 GWe of new concentrating solar power plants could be built in the United States. For more information about U.S. potential, read the Western Governors' Association Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative: 2006 Solar Task Force Report (PDF 3.1 MB). Worldwide potential for concentrating solar power also could reach hundreds of gigawatts by 2040. For more information, read Greenpeace's Concentrated Solar Thermal Power — Now! (PDF 1.3 MB). Also see our informa
