The present invention provides a method and apparatus for operating a compressor using concentrated solar power (CSP), the method comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing a concentrated solar power system (10); (b) collecting solar energy from the sun in the concentrated solar power system (10) to provide captured solar thermal energy; (c) generating one or more heated expansion fluid streams (42) from one of more expansion fluid streams (12) using at least part of the captured solar thermal energy; (d) passing at least one of the heated expansion fluid streams (42) to the inlet (101) of a first turbine (100) to power the first turbine (100); and (e) mechanically driving a first compressor (200) with the first turbine (100).