Gemasolar station is a unique thermosolar power station which is capable of running at night and even on cloudy days. The solar power station, located in southern Spain’s plains of Andalusia, has been functional and in use since May of 2011. Technical director of Torresol Energy (the company running the station), Santago Arias, was quoted saying:
“It is the first station in the world that works 24 hours a day, a solar power station that works day and night!”
The solar energy station is composed of 2,600 solar mirrors which are used to reflect sunlight at 1,000 times the intensity of sunlight when it reaches the planet. After the energy is reflected onto the tower, it is then stored in a vat of molten salts. The salts are then converted into steam which turns turbines and ultimately produces electricity.
What really sets the solar power station apart from other stations is its’ incredible storage capacity which allows it to produce 60% more energy that a typical station lacking storage capacity. This ultimately allows for the Gemasolar to work 300% more than your average solar power station as it can be utilized for 6,400 hours a year as opposed to 1,200 to 2,000 hours a year which typical solar power stations are capable of.
Spain is not only second in the world when it comes to solar energy, they’re also the largest wind power producer in all of Europe.
In order to construct the innovative solar power station, state aid and foreign investments were utilized to secure the more than $260 million required to complete the project. Estimates predict that the solar power plant will have repaid the investment capital it borrowed in 18 years. After the debts have been repaid, the business should begin to generate considerable amounts of revenue or as Arias from Torresol Energy puts it:
“The day when the business has repaid that money to the banks, this station will become a 1,000-euro note printing machine!”
Gemasolar Plant Construction Video:
Another Gemasolar Video: via Y! News
