Solar Tres Power Tower
Encyclopedia
Solar Tres is a 15 MW power plant based on solar thermal energy
. It is located west of the city of Écija
, in Andalusia
, Spain
.
Solar Tres is based on the solar power tower
concepts pioneered in the Solar One and Solar Two demonstration projects. Solar Tres uses a molten salt as its working fluid
, allowing it to be stored in the molten state for power generation at any time.
The project, which has received a subsidy of five million Euro from the European Commission
, makes use of the Solar Two technology tested in Barstow, California
, but will be approximately three times the size. Solar Tres will make use of several advances in technology since Solar Two was designed and built. These include:
Although the turbine is only slightly larger than that at Solar Two, the larger heliostat field and thermal storage system enables the plant to operate 24 hours a day during summer and have an annual capacity factor of approximately 65%.
Solar thermal energy
Solar thermal energy is a technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy . Solar thermal collectors are classified by the United States Energy Information Administration as low-, medium-, or high-temperature collectors. Low-temperature collectors are flat plates generally used to heat...
. It is located west of the city of Écija
Écija
Écija is a city belonging to the province of Seville, Spain. It is located in the Andalusian countryside, 85 km east of the city of Seville. According to the 2008 census, Écija has a total population of 40,100 inhabitants, ranking as the fifth most populous city in the province...
, in Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Solar Tres is based on the solar power tower
Solar power tower
The solar power tower is a type of solar furnace using a tower to receive the focused sunlight. It uses an array of flat, movable mirrors to focus the sun's rays upon a collector tower...
concepts pioneered in the Solar One and Solar Two demonstration projects. Solar Tres uses a molten salt as its working fluid
Working fluid
A working fluid is a pressurized gas or liquid that actuates a machine. Examples include steam in a steam engine, air in a hot air engine and hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic motor or hydraulic cylinder...
, allowing it to be stored in the molten state for power generation at any time.
The project, which has received a subsidy of five million Euro from the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, makes use of the Solar Two technology tested in Barstow, California
Barstow, California
Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino....
, but will be approximately three times the size. Solar Tres will make use of several advances in technology since Solar Two was designed and built. These include:
- A larger plant with a heliostatHeliostatA heliostat is a device that includes a mirror, usually a plane mirror, which turns so as to keep reflecting sunlight toward a predetermined target, compensating for the sun's apparent motions in the sky. The target may be a physical object, distant from the heliostat, or a direction in space...
field approximately three times the size of Solar Two and an improved plant availability with a 6% improvement in overall annual plant efficiency. - 2493 glass-metal heliostats (96-m²) with higher-reflectivity glass and because of simplified design 45% reduction in manufacturing costs.
- A larger thermal energy storageEnergy storageEnergy storage is accomplished by devices or physical media that store some form of energy to perform some useful operation at a later time. A device that stores energy is sometimes called an accumulator....
system, storing 6,250 Mg of molten nitrate salt (16 hours, 600 MWh). - Advanced pump designs that will pump salt directly from the storage tanks, eliminating the need for pump sumps.
- A steam generator system that will have a forced-recirculation steam drum.
- A more efficient, higher-pressure reheat turbine, and
- A simplified molten-salt flow loop that reduces the number of valves by 50%.
Although the turbine is only slightly larger than that at Solar Two, the larger heliostat field and thermal storage system enables the plant to operate 24 hours a day during summer and have an annual capacity factor of approximately 65%.
See also
- Avoiding dangerous climate changeAvoiding Dangerous Climate ChangeThe related terms "avoiding dangerous climate change" and "preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" date to 1995 and earlier, in the Second Assesment Report of the International Panel on Climate Change and previous science it cites.In 2002, the United Nations...
- List of solar thermal power stations
- Renewable energy in the European UnionRenewable energy in the European UnionThe countries of the European Union are currently the number two global leaders in the development and application of renewable energy. Promoting the use of renewable energy sources is important both to the reduction of the EU's dependence on foreign energy imports, and in meeting targets to combat...
- Sener AeronáuticaSener AeronáuticaSener Aeronáutica is the aerospace arm of the Spanish company Grupo Sener. Since its formation in 1956, the group has developed expertise in a wide range of fields including Marine, Power Systems and Space...
- Solar power in SpainSolar power in SpainSpain is one of the most advanced countries in the development of solar energy, since it is one of the countries of Europe with more hours of sunshine. The Spanish government committed to achieving a target of 12 percent of primary energy from renewable energy by 2010 with an installed solar...
- Solar thermal energySolar thermal energySolar thermal energy is a technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy . Solar thermal collectors are classified by the United States Energy Information Administration as low-, medium-, or high-temperature collectors. Low-temperature collectors are flat plates generally used to heat...
- The Solar Project