In Andalusia, 2,650 mirrors surround a tower in a circular shape, forming somewhat of a UFO-shaped plant that looks far more like a spacecraft than a power station. No solar panels are hiding within this UFO plant, but instead, it relies on pure thermal alchemy. This plant, found in Spain, converts concentrated sunlight into liquid fire and is responsible for storing heat. This has to be one of the most advanced solar contraptions on Earth; however, it features not a single solar panel.
A one-of-a-kind solar invention without a single solar panel
While most traditional solar farms feature solar panels, this Gemasolar concept utilizes concentrated solar power (CSP). This UFO-shaped plant consists of 2,650 heliostats, robotic mirrors meant to track the sun. So that sunlight gets pointed onto the molten-salt receiver.
The tower system can concentrate solar radiation 1,000 times. The molten salt gets circulated and is stored to produce high-pressure steam. Gemasolar produces electricity using sunlight, much like the way coal plants use fire. With this invention, heat and steam are created without the release of any emissions.
The mirror field, which is 195 hectares, has left an indelible mark throughout Spain, as it forms a halo around the receiver tower. The plant can produce more solar power than can ever be matched by photovoltaic cells.
Why is this UFO-shaped plant still popular?
Gemasolar is not a new solar plant, but it has gained attention mainly due to its molten-salt thermal storage system. Whereas most traditional solar technologies tend to stop working at night or when the weather changes, this solar plant uses stored energy to continue going. By using stored energy, the system can run continuously for about 15 hours, even without the rays of sunlight. The popularity of the plant comes from the fact that it may well be the first 24-hour solar plant.
The way this UFO-shaped solar plant works is that when the sun hits the tower, the molten salts get heated and are pumped into the hot tanks. When there is no sun, the plant depends on stored heat whilst converting boiling water into steam, with the turbine continuing to spin and generate power.
More about Gemasolar proving that solar installations don’t need panels
The Gemasolar was commissioned by Torresol Energy in a joint venture between Masdar (40%) and Sener (60%). The main glory comes from the fact that this UFO-shaped plant enjoys 5,000 operating hours annually and has a 55% capacity factor, making this plant outperform other solar plants that are of a rather similar size.
With the two giant steel tanks, the combined solar capacity generated is round about 670 MWhth. This is one facility that is capable of generating power all year long. In fact, with these 2,650 heliostats, power can be generated at night, even with Spain’s Gemasolar being able to deliver 110 GWh. Other nations are surely looking towards Spain, as this is one tower and molten salt structure that even the Middle East wants to emulate.
The 2,650 mirror facility generates 80 GWh yearly
With the long-duration thermal storage on offer, over 27,500 households will be able to receive power, while all other traditional panels of a similar size could only generate a mere fraction of that power. With the Gemasolar in place, over 28,000 tons of CO₂ will not be emitted yearly.
This €171 million solar construction is supported by many leading European engineering firms, including Sener, Cobra, CIEMAT, Foster Wheeler, and Outokumpu. This mirror field that depends on molten salt is responsible for defining the next generation of renewable solar innovations. Spain seems to be leading in terms of solar invention, all thanks to the 2,650 mirrors dancing in the sun. The truth is that Spain’s circle is turning midnight into peak hour, too.