PS-10 Solar Tower

Photo Source: afloresm

Majestically standing 40 stories high in the plains outside sunny Seville, Spain is Europe’s first commercial solar thermal power plant.  Surrounding the base of the tower are over 600 mirrors (heliostats) that move with the sun throughout the day to produce solar thermal power. Solar thermal power uses the reflection of the sun’s light to produce heat to run steam-turbine generators.  The temperature of the heat produced can reach up to 400 degrees Celsius and can be diverted into storage tanks so the plant can supply power at night. 

The PS-10 is the first of several plants to be completed by 2013 to supply the entire power needs of 180,000 homes (approximately the population of Seville).  The cutting edge project will also create over 1000 jobs during the manufacturing and construction phase and 300 permanent service and maintenance jobs. Currently the power supplied from the PS-10 is more expensive than conventional power sources like coal and gas, but as technologies develop the price will fall.  Amazingly the power plants will emit zero greenhouse gases. 

 A brief tour of the PS-10 is offered in this clip posted on You Tube.