This special issue focused on solar thermal power plants that convert solar energy into electricity using solar thermal collectors. It includes five sections. The first section focused on the prediction of direct solar radiation intensity. About seventeen models will be reviewed and their performance compared with experiments. For validation purpose six statistical indicators are used whereby a new accuracy indicator has been originally introduced to classify the models.

In the second section we provides an overview followed by the modeling of solar collectors involved in solar thermal power plants including parabolic trough and central receiver.

A review of solar thermal power plants will be reported in the third section to highlight current R&D activities; it also includes current status and applications of CSP plants around the world. The modeling and thermal performance of the reviewed plants will be described in section four. A detailed analysis and comparison is also expected. In the last section an economic assessment is necessary to selection the best power plants that ensure the lowest Levelized electricity cost.