PS20 solar power tower

Concentrating PS20 solar power tower under construction near the sunny southern Spanish city of Seville, by The 20 megawatt solar power tower produces electricity with large movable mirrors called heliostats. [http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2007/2007-03-30-02.asp Second EU Commercial Concentrating Solar Power Tower Opens in Spain] ] It was designed by Abener and EPG Gliwice . The mirrors were delivered by Abengoa, and the Solar Tower was designed and built by ALTAC [ [http://www.altac.net] ALTAC] , another Spanish Engineering and Construction Company.

Each of the mirrors has a surface measuring 120 square meters (1,292 square feet) that concentrates the Sun's rays to the top of a 160 meter (500 ft) high, tower where a solar receiver and a steam turbine are located. The turbine drives a generator, producing electricity. This power is three times more expensive than power from conventional sources, but prices are likely to fall, as they have with wind power, as the technologies develop. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6616651.stm BBC News] 5/6/07]

PS20 is the second of a set of solar power generation plants to be constructed in the same area that will total more than 300 MW by 2013. Power generation will be accomplished using a variety of technologies. The first power plants to be brought into operation at Sanlúcar la Mayor are the PS10, PS20, Eureka5 and Sevilla PV, the largest low concentration system photovoltaic plant in Europe.

ee also

*List of solar thermal power stations
*Solar power tower
*Renewable energy in the European Union
*Solar power in Spain
*Solar thermal energy
*Solucar

References

External links

* [http://www.power-technology.com/projects/Seville-Solar-Tower/]
* [http://www.solucar.es/sites/solar/en/geografias_esp_andalucia.jsp]
* [http://www.telvent.com/press/2005/Solucar_media_release_03_august_05.pdf]
* [http://ec.europa.eu/energy/res/sectors/doc/csp/ps10_final_report.pdf Final technical progress report] , for European Union officals (november 2006)]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616651.stm Power station harnesses Sun's rays]
* [http://www.solarpaces.org/Tasks/Task1/PS10.HTM Description and pictures]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/03/spain.renewableenergy Power tower reflects well on sunny Spain]