Comparative technoeconomic assessment of concentrated solar power plants across potential locations in Saudi Arabia

Concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies offer strong potential to support energy diversification in regions with extensive solar resources, as they provide dispatchable renewable energy when integrated with thermal energy storage (TES). Saudi Arabia, located within the solar belt, benefits from high direct normal irradiance (DNI) and favorable conditions for large-scale CSP deployment, aligning with its Vision 2030 objectives to integrate renewable energy systems. This study advances CSP research by delivering a comparative location-sensitive technoeconomic assessment across four high-DNI locations (Tabuk, Taif, Timaa, and Sharurah). It involved the use of measured meteorological data and parametric TES-based solar-tower-type CSP configurations modeling to enhance the reliability of performance and investment insights. Using multiple years of on-site weather data and the System Advisor Model, key performance indicators, including annual energy generation, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), capacity factor (CF), net present value, and internal rate of return, were assessed. Notably, CSP systems across the investigated locations achieved LCOE values of 9.01–9.92 cents/kWh and CFs exceeding 50%, enabled by TES. Site-specific analysis revealed that Taif exhibited the highest peak DNI, whereas Tabuk maintained the highest average DNI. Conversely, Sharurah recorded the highest temperature conditions, followed closely by Timaa. Tabuk achieved the lowest LCOE (9.01 cents/kWh). Overall, although CSP costs remain higher than those of wind and photovoltaic systems, the technology offers clear advantages in dispatchability, particularly with continued advancements in research and development, economies of scale, and industry localization. A correlation analysis further confirmed the strong influence of DNI and temperature on both technical and financial performance. Overall, these findings demonstrate the technoeconomic feasibility of CSP with TES in Saudi Arabia and provide location-specific insights to support strategic planning and energy diversification. The outcomes of study provide data-driven insights to support the strategic planning, decision analysis, policy development, and investment assessment of large-scale CSP plants as part of the long-term energy transition in Saudi Arabia.