The underappreciated role of developing photothermal power towards carbon neutrality

Globally, the development of solar energy is of great significance to achieve carbon neutrality goals. Despite the rapid advancements in photovoltaic technology, the photothermal conversion of solar energy, such as concentrated solar power systems, has not been adequately recognized and evaluated. This research presents and characterizes the spatiotemporal distributions of both photovoltaic-based and photothermal-based solar power potentials, utilizing satellite observations of surface radiation and power generation models. Employing the dynamic levelized cost of electricity model, this research comprehensively evaluates the consequences of different strategies for developing solar photovoltaic and photothermal conversions to achieve carbon neutrality objectives. Our study reveals that solar photothermal resources are mainly concentrated in low- and middle-latitude regions, such as North Africa, the Middle East, and Australia, with a global theoretical photothermal power of 27460 PWh, approximately two times that of photovoltaic. In the context of pursuing global sustainability and climate goals, solar photothermal power systems play a significant yet long-underestimated role, especially compared to photovoltaic. For example, China's proposal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 can benefit from gradually developing photothermal power systems alongside photovoltaic systems, leading to a reduction of 9.74 Gt in CO2 emissions and saving 115 billion USD in carbon costs by 2060. Overall, maximizing the synergistic utilization of solar photovoltaic and photothermal power systems and fostering regional cooperation in solar development have important implications for achieving global climate goals.