Spain, Number 1 in Europe in thermoelectric solar energy

Thermoelectric solar energy, i.e. using the heat of the sun to warm liquids to power turbines, is currently en vogue in Spain. This Mediterranean country, which has historically been a popular destination among sun seekers, was the first to move from the experimental to the commercial phase of solar thermal power projects (with the PS10 central tower plant in Seville, and with molten salt storage at Andasol 1, also in Andalusia) and is now the first country in Europe to connect up a solar thermal power plant equipped with parabolic-cylinder collectors. These installations demonstrate that thermoelectric solar technology, which until now has been experimental, is very much commercially viable. Sun, sea, sand and… now, solar thermal energy The Puertollano plant, the last of the three installations to be connected up, is also unusual in that it is 10% owned by IDAE (the Spanish Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving) of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, which demonstrates “the Spanish government’s commitment to renewable energies and public support for this technology, with Spain being the country with the highest installed capacity in Europe”. The remaining 90% has been financed by Iberdrola Renovables, global leader in wind power. The facility has a solar collection area of nearly 290,000 m², occupies approximately 150 hectares and consists of 352 parabolic-cylinder collectors, fitted with 120,000 parabolic mirrors and 13,000 absorber tubes. Annual output of the 50 MW plant is estimated at more than 100 million kWh, equivalent to the energy consumption of 100,000 people, and will avoid the emission of approximately 90,000 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere. In his opening speech, the Chairman of Iberdrola Renovables, Ignacio Galán recalled the moment two years ago when he announced plans to build the plant. “I said this was going to be a state of the art project in terms of technology and environment, and that it would play a leading role in fostering sustainable growth for Puertollano and its surrounding area,” he said. The plant has directly generated 60 new jobs in the area. According to the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, “by year end, Spain will have 233 MW [of thermoelectric solar energy capacity] installed and 730 MW in 2010; easily exceeding the objectives proposed in the 2005-2010 Renewable Energies Plan”. Furthermore, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade has also announced in a press release that the new 2011-2020 Renewable Energies Plan which is currently being drawn up by the government, will establish a target for this period “which takes into account the rapid growth experienced by this technology”. This press release also mentions that 15 Spanish companies are leading the way in developing this technology and manufacturing components and that Spain has the Almeria Solar Platform, “the most important thermoelectric solar energy research centre in the world”.

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