Solar Thermal Electricity, also known as Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technology, is produced using concentrating solar radiation technologies. It provides clean and reliable power in units ranging from 10 kW to 200 MW. The first commercial solar thermal power plants were built in the 80s and in 2008 around 400 MW were commercially operated in the world.

In Europe around 750 MW of solar thermal power plants are either recently operating or under construction. The installed capacity in Europe is expected to be of 2,000 MW by 2012 and an amount of more than 30,000 MW by 2020 could be reached. The technical potential in Europe in the long run can be estimated at least at twenty times that figure within reasonable generation costs.

At different stages of technical development, there are four main CSPs technologies to produce thermo-electricity from the sun: Parabolic Trough Plants, Central Receiver Plants, Dish Stirling Systems and Linear Fresnel Systems. Each technology will progress thanks to a favourable policy framework and to its capacity to reduce generation costs and satisfy the specific needs of the power market.

In the mid-long term, these technologies will play an important role in the South of Europe and the Mediterranean area and in other regions located in the world's 'Sun Belt'.