Life cycle assessment of Solar Power Towers: A systematic review

Solar power towers (SPTs) are a promising class of concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies capable of producing dispatchable renewable electricity with significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than fossil fuel-based systems. This review aims to critically analyse the environmental performance of SPT systems through life cycle assessment (LCA) studies reported in the literature, identifying a substantial gap in the systematic evaluation of key environmental impact categories. Additional sustainability indicators such as water consumption, energy payback time (EPBT), cost, and avian mortality are also examined. A systematic search identified 23 relevant studies evaluating these parameters across the entire life cycle of SPT plants. Reported GHG emissions for SPT systems vary widely depending on system configuration and operational conditions, ranging from approximately 8 to 105 g CO 2 -eq/kWh, which is substantially lower than emissions from conventional fossil-fuel power generation. The review highlights that the manufacturing and operation phases account for the majority of environmental impacts (nearly 90% of GHG emissions), with heliostat production and material demand being major contributors. Furthermore, the results indicate that the operation and maintenance phase accounts for approximately 70% of the total water consumption of these systems. The study identifies key knowledge gaps and proposes strategies to reduce environmental burdens, including heliostat design optimization, improved heat transfer fluids, water-efficient cooling technologies, and enhanced site selection. Overall, the findings provide insights for researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to support the development of more environmentally sustainable solar power tower systems.