Are solar power towers a promising technology?

All the issues commented above make solar power towers, among other concentrated solar power technologies, a promising technology with commercial possibilities in the mid term. Better performance and cheaper electricity compared with other options seems within reach.

What is a solar power tower?

Solar Power Towers (SPT), also denominated Central Receiver Systems (CRS), are set up by a heliostats field which reflects solar radiation into a central receiver located atop a tower. These heliostats track the Sun with two axis. They are also considered as point focus collectors.

What is a Gemasolar Thermosolar plant?

Due to the success of Solar Two, a commercial power plant, called Solar Tres Power Tower, was built in Spain in 2011, later renamed Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant. Gemasolar's results paved the way for further plants of its type.

How does a solar power tower work?

A solar power tower consists of an array of dual-axis tracking reflectors (heliostats) that concentrate sunlight on a central receiver atop a tower; the receiver contains a heat-transfer fluid, which can consist of water-steam or molten salt. Optically a solar power tower is the same as a circular Fresnel reflector.

What is the tallest solar power plant in the world?

Ashalim Power Station, Israel, on its completion the tallest solar tower in the world. It concentrates light from over 50,000 heliostats. The PS10 solar power plant in Andalusia, Spain concentrates sunlight from a field of heliostats onto a central solar power tower.

How do power tower concentrating solar power systems work?

In power tower concentrating solar power systems, a large number of flat, sun-tracking mirrors, known as heliostats, focus sunlight onto a receiver at the top of a tall tower. A heat-transfer fluid heated in the receiver is used to heat a working fluid, which, in turn, is used in a conventional turbine generator to produce electricity.