Solana, the First Large-Scale Solar Plant with Thermal Energy Storage in the U.S., Passes Commerical Operation Tests
Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-10-17 14:02Abengoa announced that Solana, the world´s largest parabolic trough plant and also the first solar plant in the United States with thermal energy storage, has successfully passed commercial operation tests. A thermal energy storage system allows Solana to generate electricity for six hours without the concurrent use of the solar field. This technology consists of parabolic shaped mirrors mounted on structures that track the sun and concentrate the sun's heat, later transforming water into steam and powering a conventional steam turbine.