Solar Tower Of Power To Reign Tall In Spain, Abu Dhabi |
4 Comments |
| By Michael d'Estries in Energy, Solar | March 14, 2008 | |
Hoping to capitalize on the “sun-belt” region of the world, Masdar (the company behind the $15 billion eco-city under construction in Abu Dhabi) and Spanish engineering group Sener Grupo de Ingeneria have decided to form a new company called Torresol, or ‘Sun tower’ in English. The firm has plans to build at least two large concentrating solar power plants a year, with a goal of generating 320 megawatts over the next 5 years and 1 GW in 10 years. From Greentech,
“Two of the plants will deploy parabolic troughs, or curved mirrors used to generate steam that in turn powers a turbine to produce electricity. The third plant will use a central tower receiver, where a field of mirrors reflects sun rays toward a water tower. As the water heats, it turns into steam, which can then be converted into electricity using a turbine. Torresol claims it will be the first commercial-scale deployment of a central tower receiver system.”
Some pretty amazing green projects going on in that part of the world. Imagine if the United States had a sunny, desert-like region that could also harness the sun’s power? Man, that would be incredible.
via green tech media
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kent beuchert said,
Perhaps Michael dEstries has been living on Mars. Ausra, and three other solar thermal
companies are staking cliams in Nevada, Texas and Florida and other states, and are actually building, not just planning solar thermal plants.
Someone wake Michael up and shake him, please.
Michael d'Estries said,
More Kent! I want more! And I want the U.S. government to get behind it with tax rebates.
Robert Palgrave said,
Torresol are being economic with the truth when they say “it [their plant in Abu Dhabi] will be the first commercial-scale deployment of a central tower receiver system”
An 11MW central tower CSP plant opened near Seville, Spain last year.
see http://renewenergydir.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=47 for example.
Erik Pihl said,
Actually, the US government founded research already in the ’80s, letting some $500 million into CSP (concentrating solar power) test sites. The largest CSP plant in the world (however not a tower) is situated in the US (Kramer Junction) and a few power towers have been built decades ago. Now, companies like eSolar (sponsored by Google etc) are developing a new generation of power towers. The US government is actually already supporting construction of new solar plants, as is the Spanish gov and some others. Unfortunately, the money given to solar power is nothing close to the funds and tax reliefs that have been granted, and still are, to fossil fuels and nuclear power.
In any case, the US south-east deserts are EXCELLENT areas for deployment of CSP plants, comparable to northern Africa. So there are really no excuses for not engaging more in these technologies.
/Erik
Swedish solar energy scientist