Aim 600 mirrors at a single point and things heat up very quickly. Pour some water on the hot spot and now you've got enough steam to make 11 MW of electricity—even at night! A new thermal solar power plant in southern Spain, built by the Solucar company, is the first of its kind in all of Europe. While thermal power plants like these have been heating things up in Australia for a few years now, the new Spanish plant will eventually be able to provide electricity to a whopping 600,000 people who live in the nearby town of Seville. This 40-story boiler has some serious sol.
How does it work at night you ask? Well, since the plant produces such an enormous amount of steam when the sun is shining, it can store some of the excess water vapor in tanks to be used later. Once noche rolls around, the containers are uncorked and the turbines spin 'till dawn.
Expect this modernista marvel to get better with time—thousands of additional mirrors are slated to join in chorus with the hundreds already online today. Check out this video from BBC News for a look at the plant inside and out.
Via BBC News
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written by Kat, July 31, 2012
my family is trying to make our house solar power only. we have a bunch of animals and have lately been seeing the damages caused by the pollution. how can we go solar?
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written by David @ Solar Power Backpacks, October 13, 2012
That looks good! And I know it will be a success in helping a lot of people into going solar. Hi Kat, where do you live? you can search for a solar company near you that will help you install solar panel in you house.
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written by haney @ Solar Power Backpacks, October 15, 2012
When power plants are forced to pay for their pollution they will quickly change to renewable energy.
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MAY 03
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