Solar-powered tower-shaped power plant

The Technical Thermodynamics Institute of the German Space Center has supported Spain with the technology to build a solar-powered pyramid-shaped thermal power plant on the outskirts of Seville. This is the first commercial power plant in the world to exploit the sun rays.

The 40-story high tower is located in the world's first solar-powered tower power plant complex.(Photo: BBC)

The factory uses the sun-ray collection system placed in a 100-meter-high tower, surrounded by 624 large glass panels with each area of ​​121m2. These panels will reflect the sun's rays into the collector system, allowing heat to accumulate up to 1,000 degrees Celsius to eventually convert into electricity.

This solar tower power plant can produce 23 gigawatts of electricity every year, enough to supply 8,000 households. Currently, German scientists are developing improved collection systems and are expected to soon install a second backup plant aimed at creating enough energy to supply 600,000 people in Seville.

One of the benefits of this type of power plant can keep temperatures higher than today's solar thermal energy plants. It is also the technology platform for producing solar fuel - such as hydrogen - without releasing CO2 emissions during the power generation process.

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