On July 3, President Obama announced that the U.S. Department of Energy offered a conditional commitment to Abengoa Solar Inc. for a $1.45 billion loan guarantee to finance the construction and start-up of a concentrating solar power (CSP) generating facility in Solana, Arizona. Once operational, the plant will add 250 megawatts (MW) of capacity to the electrical grid using parabolic trough solar collectors and will feature the first molten salt thermal energy storage system in the United States.
The plant, located 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, will use mirrors to direct sunlight onto receiver tubes that will heat the molten salt fluid to more than 700°F. The system's heat will turn steam turbines and will be capable of storing six hours of thermal energy, which will allow the plant to dispatch power during early morning and late evening utility loads. The thermal storage will also enable the plant to continue operating during intermittent cloudy weather.
To read the full, original article click on this link: NREL: Technology Transfer - DOE Offers $1.45 Billion Loan Guarantee to Abengoa Solar
Author: DOE
