20mwp solar power station

Where is the PS20 solar power plant located?

The PS20 solar power plant (PS20) solar power plant is a solar thermal energy plant in Sanlucar la Mayor near Seville in Andalusia, Spain. It was the world's most powerful solar power tower until the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility in California became operational in 2014.

What is a 20 megawatt solar power tower?

The 20 megawatt (MW) solar power tower produces electricity with large movable mirrors called heliostats. Construction of PS20 was started in 2006 and it commenced operation in 2009. It features several significant technological improvements over the earlier PS10.

How does PS20 work?

"PS20 consists of a solar field of 1,255 mirrored heliostats designed by Abengoa Solar. Each heliostat, with a surface area of 120 m 2 (1,300 sq ft), reflects the solar radiation it receives onto the receiver, located on the top of a 165-metre-high (541 ft) tower, producing steam which is converted into electricity by a turbine generator."

Can a solar power plant store 10 hours of electricity?

have struggled with for decades: providing cheap, commercial-scale, non–fossil fuel electricity even when winds are calm or the sun is not shining. The facility is touted as being the first solar power plant that can store more than 10 hours of electricity, which translates into 1,100 megawatt-hours, enough to power 75,000 homes.

What does a concentrating solar power plant look like?

Deep in the Nevada desert, halfway between Las Vegas and Reno, a lone white tower stands 195 meters tall, gleaming like a beacon. It is surrounded by more than 10,000 billboard-size mirrors focusing the sun’s rays on its tip. The Crescent Dunes “ concentrating solar power” plant looks like some advanced communication device for aliens.

Can a solar power plant provide electricity if the Sun is not shining?

A California firm is converting sunlight to heat and storing it in molten salt so it can supply electricity when the wind is calm or the sun isn’t shining The 110-megawatt Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Facility in Nevada is the first utility-scale concentrating solar plant that can provide electricity whenever it's needed most, even after dark.