PS10 solar power plant
| PS10 Solar Power Plant | |
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| Official name | Planta Solar 10 |
| Country | Spain |
| Location | Sanlúcar la Mayor, Andalusia |
| Coordinates | 37°26′36.42″N 06°15′14.28″W / 37.44345°N 6.2539667°WCoordinates: 37°26′36.42″N 06°15′14.28″W / 37.44345°N 6.2539667°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 2004 |
| Construction cost | €35 million |
| Owner(s) | Abengoa Solar |
| Constructor(s) | Tecnical-Tecnicas Reunidas ALTAC |
| Solar farm information | |
| Type | CSP |
| CSP technology | Solar power tower |
| Heliostats | 624 |
| Power generation information | |
| Installed capacity | 11 MW |
The PS10 Solar Power Plant (Spanish: Planta Solar 10), is Europe's first commercial concentrating solar power tower operating near Seville, in Andalucia, Spain. The 11 megawatt (MW) solar power tower produces electricity with 624 large movable mirrors called heliostats.[1] It took four years to build and so far cost €35 million.[2]
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[edit] Suppliers
The mirrors were delivered by Abengoa, the solar receiver was designed and built by Tecnical-Tecnicas Reunidas, a Spanish engineering company; and the Solar Tower was designed and built by ALTAC, another Spanish engineering and construction company.
[edit] Specification
Each of the mirrors has a surface measuring 120 m² (1,292 square feet) that concentrates the sun's rays to the top of a 115 metre (377 ft) high, 40-storey tower where a solar receiver and a steam turbine are located. The turbine drives a generator, producing electricity.[1]
The PS10 is located 20 km west of Seville (which receives at least nine hours of sunshine 320 days per year, with 15 hours per day in mid summer). The solar receiver at the top of the tower produces saturated steam at 275 C. The energy conversion efficiency is approximately 17%.[3]
[edit] Future plans
PS10 is the first of a set of solar power generation plants to be constructed in the same area that will total more than 300 MW by 2013.[citation needed] Power generation will be accomplished using a variety of technologies. The first two power plants to be brought into operation at Sanlúcar la Mayor are the PS10, and Sevilla PV, the largest low concentration system photovoltaic plant in Europe.[1]
300 MW:
Completed and is operating:
total: 180 MW.
Three more plants are planned:
- AZ20 (20 MW)
- Solnova 2 (50 MW)
- Solnova 5 (50 MW)
Total 120 MW.
PS0 and AZ20 are twin 20 MWe tower plants based on the same concept as PS10.[4]
[edit] Energy storage
The PS10 solar power tower stores heat in tanks as superheated and pressurized water at 50 bar and 285°C. The water evaporates and flashes back to steam, when pressure is lowered. Storage is for one hour. It is suggested that longer storage is possible, but that has not been proven yet in an existing power plant. However, there are many considerations for using molten salt as an energy storage medium due to the great capability of storing energy for long periods of time with only insignificant losses.
[edit] See also
- PS20 solar power tower
- List of solar thermal power stations
- Renewable energy in the European Union
- Solar power in Spain
- Solar thermal energy
- Solucar
[edit] References
- ^ a b c First EU Commercial Concentrating Solar Power Tower Opens in Spain, Ens-newswire.com, http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2007/2007-03-30-02.asp, retrieved 2012-01-25
- ^ First European Solar Power Tower, Electronic Healing, http://www.electronichealing.co.uk/articles/solar_power_tower_spain.htm, retrieved 2012-01-25
- ^ Graham-Cumming, John (2009). The Geek Atlas: 128 Places Where Science & Technology Come Alive. O'Reilly Media . p. 112. ISBN 978-0-596-52320-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=HhEC0q-O1ewC&pg=PA112. Retrieved 01 March 2012.
- ^ SolarPACES Home Page, Solarpaces.org, http://www.solarpaces.org/Tasks/Task1/ps10.htm, retrieved 2012-01-25
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: PS10 Solar Power Plant |
- Final technical progress report, for European Union officials (November 2006)
- Power station harnesses Sun's rays
- Description and pictures
- Power tower reflects well on sunny Spain
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