I remember as a kid in the 1980s, my sister and cousins would be playing endlessly on our Atari, a pioneer in gaming. I was too young to understand Pong or Pac-Man, but as I got older I became well-versed in Mario Bros via my own Nintendo gaming console. Then I moved on to Tetris via Nintendo’s hand-held device know as Game Boy.
Now the way we game has evolved into mobile apps available on tablets or smartphones – so much so that this segment is forecasted to lead the software industry. Deloitte expects mobile gaming platforms to increase revenue by 20 per cent this year to US$35 billion, making the Atari seem like an antique.
In technology there is always something new – and as it went with the Atari console, so it may go with concentrated solar power (CSP).
Improved, cheaper models emerge as technology advances. Which is why the solar sector may find itself with a relic in the form of CSP.
The hype around solar installations typically revolves around photovoltaics (PV), given that 227 gigawatts (GW) is currently installed worldwide compared to CSP at around 5GW. The reason for this is simple: PV is cheaper and has a quicker installation time because it has fewer moving parts. Yet ever since Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) announced this summer that the fourth phase of the 5GW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park would be CSP, proponents of the technology have been clinging on to the hope that their time to dominate is here.
The easy way to differentiate between PV and CSP is simply that CSP comes with storage, which allows the solar power to still be fed into a grid even when the sun isn’t shining. But this also means that CSP is more expensive.
Saeed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive of Dewa, said in June that he believes there could be a CSP price of 8 US cents (the lowest is currently around 12 cents) for Dubai. That’s almost three times the price that Dubai had for its 800 megawatts third phase solar PV project.
But many in the industry believe a battery breakthrough is just on the horizon, particularly with lithium ion batteries. And with this the possibility for the cheaper PV power with storage will come to life. Currently CSP’s thermal energy storage is cheaper than electrical battery storage, not to mention it has a greater lifespan of over 40 years – that is nearly three times that of today’s lithium ion batteries.
Claudio Palmieri, chief executive of Dubai-based CLS Energy Consultants, says CSP with thermal energy storage will play a vital role in the near future. But he added: “The long-term trend clearly favours PV and battery.”
If the main advantage of CSP is its storage capabilities, then how will the sector maintain any clout if that ability is easily available as an add-on with a cheaper option?
Mr Palmieri said that CSP is still appealing because it closely resembles conventional power plants. Yet in a world where technology is making major plays across a range of activities, remaining with the status quo because of familiarity may not be an option if the bottom line is cost-driven.
Prices for energy generated from PV could fall as much as 59 per cent by 2025, whereas prices for CSP could potentially drop 43 per cent, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Sami Khoreibi, the chief executive of Enviromena Power Systems, told The National last month that lithium ion batteries would follow the same downward price trajectory like in the PV market – which declined 75 per cent since 2008.
Dewa’s Mr Al Tayer told The National at the World Green Energy Summit in Dubai that the utility was open to any technology for the upcoming MBR solar phases, including PV with battery storage. “We’ll pilot the technology and base our decision on the pros and cons. If it’s successful, reliable and sustainable – well, why not?”
Does this mean that Dewa will reassess its decision to install the full 1GW of CSP at the MBR solar park? Well, why would a teenager today choose an Atari over a PlayStation 4 if the costs were the same?
lgraves@thenational.ae
LeAnne Graves covers renewables for The National.
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
Company%20Profile
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Company%C2%A0profile
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SPECS
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The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Imperial%20Island%3A%20A%20History%20of%20Empire%20in%20Modern%20Britain
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Company%20Profile
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If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
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Company%20Profile
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 6 Huddersfield Town 1
Man City: Agüero (25', 35', 75'), Jesus (31'), Silva (48'), Kongolo (84' og)
Huddersfield: Stankovic (43')
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now