The NREL figures are for plants with heat storage (large tanks of high-temperature molten salt which accumulate heat, to power turbines at night). Without heat

The NREL figures are for plants with heat storage (large tanks of high-temperature molten salt which accumulate heat, to power turbines at night). Without heat storage you only have 20-25% at most. Ivanpah has a capacity factor of 31%, but that's not solar; part of that comes from burning natural gas. http://www.nrel.gov/csp/solarpaces/project_detail.cfm/projectID=62 http://www.nrel.gov/csp/solarpaces/project_detail.cfm/projec...