The paper deals with the preliminary design and optimization of cogenerative solar thermodynamic plants for industrial users. The considered plants are all based on proven parabolic trough technology, but different schemes have been analyzed: from a conventional configuration with indirect steam cycle and a heat transfer fluid such as synthetic oil or molten salts, to a more innovative arrangement with direct steam generation in the solar field. Thermodynamic parameters of the steam cycle have been optimized considering some constraints due to the heat requirements of the user, leading to a preliminary design of the main components of the system and an estimation of costs. Resulting net electric efficiency is about 10% for conventional synthetic oil plant, while 13% for innovative molten salts and DSG. A comparison with conventional solar thermodynamic systems for electricity production and photovoltaic power plants shows the economic and energetic benefits of the cogenerative solution. Cost of electricity for solar plant is cheaper of about 20 (sic)/MWh than conventional solar power application. Moreover, heat recovery allows to achieve a further 50% of CO(2) emission savings compared to reference solar plants for only electricity production. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.