The concentrated solar power plant Gemdevastate It is located in Fuentes de Andalucía, in Seville, Spain. It was inaugurated in October 2011, although it began operations in May of that same year.
This is the first commercial solar thermal power plant, and it is capable of producing energy at full capacity 24 hours a day, even in the absence of solar radiation or on cloudy days.
This technology consists of a central tower with salt receiver y 2,500 heliostats around it, designed to reflect light and mounted on a an area of 185 hectares. Gemasolar's rated electrical output is 19.9 megawatts.
This renewable energy plant is capable of generating the energy needed to feed a 25,000 households and from reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30,000 metric tons per year. Gemasolar ensures a production of 6,500 hours of electricity per year.
Gemasolar Plant: How It Works
The plant's operation consists of the pumping of cold brine to the top of the central tower from a tank located at the bottom of the tower. At the top, the salts are heated by light from the heliostats and stored in another tank at temperatures higher than 500 degrees Celsius.
The water then flows into a heat exchanger, where steam is generated to drive a turbine, which in turn activates a generator responsible for producing electricity.
Gemasolar: A Pioneering Project
UTE Solar Tres was the company responsible for building the plant Gemasolar, although the company that owns it is Torresol Energy, which acknowledged that the total cost of the plant reached $419 million.
