Torresol to Build 3 Solar Thermal Power Plants in Spain for $1.24 Billion

Science & Technology (alternative energy)

Solar thermal concetrator

Solar thermal keeps gaining traction. The latest announcement is for a joint venture between Abu Dhabi's Masdar and Spain's Sener. It will be called Torresol Energy, and the initial investment is €800 million (or $1.24 billion) into three solar thermal power plants to be built in Spain.

The first will use an array of heliostats surrounding a central tower receiver (pictured above), and the other two will use parabolic trough technology (liquid is heated in tubes, then turned into steam to power a generator).

Solar thermal plants use mirrors and/or lenses to focus the sun’s light onto a receiver which absorbs the energy as heat. The heat is used to create steam and power turbines to produce electricity. There are a variety of designs and technologies used in these massive power plants, and companies are working on innovations to reduce the costs and increase the efficiency of the process.

::Solar Thermal JV to Spend $1.24B in Spain