PS10 (above) was the first solar thermal tower plant worldwide for commercial use. The PS20 (below) has twice the power and has just been launched. Photo: Abengoa Solar.
This week, Abengoa Solar has started the commercial operation of the PS20 Solar Platform in Sanlucar la Mayor (Seville), which, with 20 MW of installed power, becomes the most powerful solar power plant in the world.
Operational scheme of the tower technology used by Abengoa Solar in Sanlucar la Mayor, in Seville.
Source: Introduction to Abengoa's solar thermal technology.
The PS20 plant is twice as powerful as its predecessor, the PS10. It consists of 1255 mirrors (heliostats) of 120 square meters each that capture the sun's rays and direct them to the 165-meter-high tower where they concentrate to produce the water vapor that moves the turbines that produce the electrical energy.
The maximum power is 20 MW, enough to feed 10, 000 homes saving direct emission in the production of about 12, 000 tons of CO2.
According to Abengoa, during the production and operation tests the plant has produced more electricity than was calculated on paper, validating the great potential of the tower technology.
