Cheap, safe and environmentally friendly electricity from concentrating solar power systems could meet about 15% of European power needs by 2050. This was confirmed by studies prepared by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) on behalf of the German Federal Environment Ministry (Bundesumweltministerium).
On 31 March 2011 the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Spanish utility company Endesa inaugurated a direct solar steam generation and energy storage pilot plant at Carboneras, located in southern Spain. In this type of solar power plant, steam is produced directly from concentrated solar radiation and used to drive a generator. The highlight of this facility is a new system that efficiently stores energy, both as sensible heat and latent heat. The stored energy can be used to generate electricity even at night.