Mega Solar: the World’s 13 Biggest Solar Thermal Energy Projects
Solar thermal energy plants focus the glare of the Sun’s rays on a central location to create heat, which is then turned into electricity. Various methods exist to concentrate the solar radiation, including parabolic troughs, power towers with mirrors that track the Sun (heliostats), parabolic dishes, and Fresnel reflectors. See a history of solar thermal energy.
For comparison with solar photovoltaics, see the world’s 13 biggest photovoltaic solar energy projects.
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Location: Mojave Desert, USA.
Megawatts: 500 MW, with plans to expand to 900 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: BrightSource Energy and Pacific Gas & Electric.
Status: Will begin operating as early as 2011.
More: To date, this field of power towers is the largest planned Concentrated Solar project in the world. Meanwhile, through contracts with a number of other solar companies, PG&E will soon be operating over 2,000 MW of solar energy. California state law requires each investor-owned utility to supply at least 20% of their grid with renewable energy. Source: PG&E [PDF]. Photo: Pictured here is Solar Two, also in the Mojave Desert, which has a similar design to the upcoming plant; WikiMedia.
Location: Mojave Desert, USA.
Megawatts: 500 MW, with possible expansion to 850 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Stirling Energy Systems and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Status: Will begin operating in 2011.
More: 20,000 parabolic dishes will be spread over 4,500 acres of desert. The dishes are each 40 feet tall and capable of producing 2.5 kilawatts. Source: Foreign Policy. Photo: Stirling Energy Systems.
Location: Upington, South Africa.
Megawatts: 100 MW pilot to be possibly expanded to 600 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Eskom.
Status: Eskom is currently considering whether to continue with plans for the project.
More: This project has been on the drawing board now for several years. If it gets the green light and is completed, it will drop South Africa from the 15th biggest CO2 emitter to the 25th.
The project relies on the power tower method of production. In this solar thermal variation, a circle of moving mirrors, or heliostats, track the Sun as it moves across the sky. The mirrors focus light on a central tower. Heat from this concentrated light can reach up to 600˚C. These rays heat molten salt, which is used to generate steam and power a turbine. Source: Engineering News; Eskom via Solar4Africa. Photo: Solar Two power tower, Wikimedia.
Location: Mojave Desert, USA.
Megawatts: 553 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Solel and Pacific Gas & Electric.
Status: Will begin operating in 2011.
More: Solel, an Israeli company, will use 1.2 million mirrors and 317 miles of vacuum tubing for the project. When complete, the solar field will cover 6,000 acres and bring power to 400,000 homes. Source: Ynet news; Solel [PDF]. Photo: WikiMedia.
Location: California, USA.
Megawatts: 400 MW.
Solar Company: Solar Partners
Status: Scheduled to begin operating in 2012.
More: The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) will consist of three power towers, connected at a central point. The heliostats being considered are just over 7 feet tall and 10.5 feet wide. Construction will take place in three phases, beginning with two 100 MW towers and finishing with one 200 MW tower. Plants will use a gas boiler only during morning times while the towers are warming to start the day’s operating more quickly. Source, photo: The California Energy Commission.
Location: Mojave Desert, USA.
Megawatts: 310 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Florida Power & Light and Southern California Edison.
Status: Operating.
More: Known as the Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) this is a group of nine concentrated solar plants. It’s currently the largest single source of solar energy in the world. By comparison, the largest operating photovoltaic solar plant to date, which is in Spain, produces 20 MW. The site has 400,000 mirrors laid over an area of 1,000 acres. The mirrors were built between 1984 and 1991. Sources: Florida Power & Light, The Energy Blog. Photo: WikiMedia.
Location: Seville, Spain.
Megawatts: 11 MW currently, planned increase to 300 MW.
Solar Company and Electric Utility: Mirrors by Abengoa and power tower by ALTAC.
Status: Operating. Scheduled 300 MW production by 2013.
More: With the completion of other solar energy plants in the same area, the total energy production will be about 300 MW. The current power tower stands 115 meters above the surrounding sunflower fields. 624 heliostat mirrors focus sunlight on the tower. Source: Environment News Service; BBC. Photo: WikiMedia.
Location: Florida, USA
Megawatts: 300 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Florida Power & Light.
Status: Scheduled to begin operating in 2011.
More: This project, which will utilize Fresnel reflectors, will help Florida to meet its goal of 20% wind and solar energy. Currently, the state of Florida receives half of its power from natural gas and another 20% from nuclear. Florida Power and Light has already identified the location of 1,100 MW of new solar plants. Sources: St. Petersburg Times; Energy Business Review. Photo: WikiMedia.
Location: Arizona, USA.
Megawatts: 280 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Abengoa Solar and Arizona Public Service Co.
Status: Scheduled to begin operating in 2011.
More: The plant, being built by Spanish solar company Abengoa, will cover 1,800 acres and offer 1,500 jobs. The solar field will power an estimated 70,000 homes and keep about 400,000 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere. Source, photo: Abengoa.
Location: Negev Desert, Israel.
Megawatts: 250 MW.
Status: Government is seeking bids from thermal solar companies.
More: Israel’s solar goal is 5% by 2016. Already, more than 1 million homes in a country of 7.1 million have rooftop solar water heaters. Source: Economic Times. Photo: Shown here is a concentrated solar design from Israeli company Zenith Solar; Business Week.
Location: Mojave Desert, USA.
Megawatts: 250 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Florida Power & Light.
Status: Scheduled to begin operating in 2011.
More: The Beacon Solar Energy project will use 500,000 parabolic troughs over an area of 2,012 acres. Once in operation, the plant will employ roughly 1,000 workers. Sources: Green Wombat; Florida Power & Light. Photo: Green Wombat.
Location: California, USA.
Megawatts: 177 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Ausra and Pacific Gas & Electric.
Status: Scheduled to begin operating in 2010.
More: Using Fresnel reflectors, Ausra will supply roughly 60,000 homes with renewable solar power. In contrast with parabolic troughs, Fresnel reflectors are series of flat mirrors that reflect light onto a thermal conducting rod. Ausra’s client, Pacific Gas & Electric currently fulfills 12% of its energy needs with renewable energy. Source: News.com. Photo: Ausra.
Location: Mildura, Australia.
Megawatts: 154 MW.
Solar Company & Electric Utility: Solar Systems and TRUenergy.
Status: Plant will begin operating in 2010 and reach full capacity by 2013.
More: When fully completed, the solar field will power about 45,000 homes in Australia. By 2030, Mildura may be producing as much as 5 Gigawatts of solar energy. Source: EcoWorldly via Foreign Policy. Photo: Solar Systems.
More resources on solar: Cleantechnica
Top Photo: Wikipedia.
The price of oil is rising rapidy enough to make these renewable, sustainable, even perpetual sources of energy the obvious ultimate choice. I just hope we have enough oil left to convert to a point where solar can power its own propagation.
I am really excited that solar thermal energy is being developed in the deserts of the USA. It seems so obvious a solution to our energy needs. I can not understand why a lot more is being done.
The one in the Mojave desert said they may delay to 2012
My company is intent on commercializing its high efficiency renewable energy turbine (RET)which will increase the net efficiency of CSP mechanical energy production (using steam or ORC), at a price fractional of existing sterlings, and turbines. JR -CEO- Sannerprojects, Inc USA, JRIAM1945@aol.com. RET will also expand the scale of affordable CSP/ solar thermal, both upwards and downwards.
[...] all current external indicators don’t reflect your sentiment. Oh and don’t also forget these; Mega Solar: the World’s 13 Biggest Solar Thermal Energy Projects : EcoWorldly Some of these projects, likely overlap with the ones you mentioned from Wiki, but these 13 [...]
One can build the most of these also beyond the deserts, and - intelligently built - they allow farming between the reflector-rows and one could also let graze some sheeps there, who even may be happy because of the shaddow, especially at noon. — The link from bubsbane on April 15th is also a good tip. By the way: In Odeillo Font-Romeu, France, Europe, a big solar-thermal power plant is working since 1970. In Spain soon will be finished Andasol 1, a parabolic reflector power plant from Solar Millennium, on a 2 km2 area, including energy storage technology (heated salt) for spending energy in the night for ca. 180,000 people.
Refering the indian example: Similar parabolic reflectors, but smaller, are used for cooking directly hanging a pot into the light focus area in Africa, India and other places and would be a huge chance for all regions in the world between ca. the 40th degrees of latitude, not least in regions where wood is rare, but normally used for making fire, but also at other places, for example at schools that give food to the pupils/students, but also for private houses, not least as a cheap but effective contribute for sparing electric energy and fighting the climate change.
dbski4it - That’s not correct. PS-10 in Spain is in operation since last year.
Please check the link from BBC.
[...] Solar Thermal Energy Projects Mega Solar: the World
The new headerquarter of Himin group is the largest office solar energy building in the world.And the 4th International Solar City Congress will be held there.
For more information please contact:
business@himin.com
what abt india , rajasthan , 5×5 sq km produce 1000mw of energy , imagine .23 million sq km area of our desert .. think abt it and i guess its worth ..with the DNI report in india , i think we close to sun , 3Tier u doing a good job by being in india . congrats and welcome , all the best for ur initiatives.