APS Completes First Solar Trough Power Plant in Arizona; and the First Built in the U.S. in 17 Years

Arizona Public Service (APS) press release April 20, 2006 ... Arizona's first solar trough power plant features more than 100,000 square feet of parabolic-trough shaped mirrors and stands more than 15 feet tall. Neatly aligned in 6 rows - each more than 1,200 feet long that sit on a stretch of desert between Phoenix and Tucson - the mirrors already are quietly concentrating the sun's energy and producing one megawatt of clean electrical power. ...

The plant uses a solar thermal generator and mirrors to concentrate the sun's energy to heat oil. The heat from the oil is then used to drive a turbine/generator that produces electricity. ...

The solar trough is also unique from other Arizona solar generating facilities because it can actually store energy, a trait that traditional solar plants are not capable of performing. This storage capability allows the solar generators to supply electricity when needed - not just when the sun is shining. The plant also is the first to combine solar trough technology with an Organic Rankine Cycle Power Block, typically used in geothermal and biomass applications. The block allows the plant to produce more power at lower temperatures. ...

From a previous APS press release: Historically, solar-trough technology has required tens of megawatts of plant installation to produce steam from water to turn generation turbines. The significant first cost of multi-megawatt power plants had precluded their use in the APS solar portfolio. This solar trough system combines the relatively low cost of parabolic solar trough thermal technology with the commercially available, smaller turbines usually associated with low temperature geothermal generation plants such as the ORMAT unit being used for this project.

APS and its partners, Solargenix Energy based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Ormat International of Reno, Nevada, began construction of the $6 million plant in June 2004 and completed it 15 months later. ... Solargenix was the system integrator and provider of the parabolic trough and Ormat designed and installed the power conversion unit. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory provided technical expertise. ...

Solargenix is a subsidiary of Acciona Energia based in Spain. It is currently constructing a 64-megawatt of solar thermal power plant in Boulder City, Nevada, which will be the largest (of its) type installed in the world when finished in about one year.

Background: Previously there were only nine solar trough thermal plants in the world - all located in California and still operating- known as SEGS plants that were built by LUZ International during the 1980s and 1990s.  Because of plumeting energy prices and eroding renewable energy incentives Luz went out of business in 1991 and no plants had been built since then. Some of the personnel from Luz are employed by Solergenix and by the Israeli company Solel who along with Solar Millinium AG in Granada, Spain are now continuing to develop solar trough projects. See earlier post for more information on solar trough technology.

More blogs about solar, thermal solar, solar troughs, alternative energy, renewable, renewable energy, energy, technology

Comments

[amazingdrx]

Hmm, kind of hard to gauge the performance from the figures given in the press release.

200 homes x 10,000 kwh per year per home (typical power use). So that is 2 million kwh per year for a 6 million dollar initial cost.

6 milliion dollars divided by 200 = $30,000.

With no fuel costs ever, this seems competitive with roof mounted solar PV cells at the present time.

As PV cells come down in cost and solar concentrating collectors are applied to homes to supply electric power at 3 to 4 times present PV efficiecy, with a quarter of the PV cells needed, and heat is extracted from collectors as well as electricity, it may not remain competitive though.

Adding comcentrating solar PV cell technology to this trough system might just make it compete in the future though. The hot oil would get the other 60% of the solar energy not converted directly to electricity by the PV cells.

[Jason Brown]

As far as costs on solar thermal parabolic trough power plants, current costs range between 9 cents to 15 cents per KWh -- which I believe is competitive with natural gas electricity generation costs today in many areas of the country.

In addition, according to a 2003 NREL study, (which can be found here http://www.nrel.gov/solar/parabolic_trough.html) generation costs for solar thermal parabolic trough power plants could as low as 6.2 - 4.3 cents per KWh in 2020.

Full Disclosure -- My company provides communications services to SCHOTT, which manufactured the solar receivers that are used at the Saguaro Solar Generating Station.

[Orlowski Zygmunt]

Clean energy

The entire world is looking for a source of clean energy. I have discovered a certain paradox basing on which a machine called METOZ can be built which by harnessing the gravitation of our EARTH can produce clean energy.
The energy producing process is demonstrated in:
http://www.nets.pl/~metozor/paradox.html
and can be very easily confirmed by an experiment.
I am also in possession of a set of calculations which prove that the METOZ machine:
1/ does not consume water / 39 A5-pictures /;
2/ does not consume compressed air / 39 A5-pictures /;
3/ produces energy to the outside = 4 839 kGm during a „swing cycle” /39 A5-pictures /;
/ this is a „weight cycle” = the centre of gravity of the water in the METOZ machine sinks ( downward movement ) /
4/ energy is produced / released to the outside = 44 600 kGm during the „straightening cycle” / 39 A5-pictures /.
/ this is a “pressure cycle” = the water mass centre of gravity inside the METOZ machine travels upwards (upward movement) /
Features: 1/; 2/; 3/; 4/, of the machine owing to appropriate dimensions of individual elements of the lever mechanism.
The METOZ has an even-arm lever of a 1.72 m length. The centre of gravity of the lever lies beneath the lever suspension point. The METOZ is equipped with two cylinders of a 1.6 m diameter each. Piston sidewalls do not contact directly with cylinder walls. The lever swing changes between and .
Figures ( 3 x 13 x 4 = 156 ) present temporary, consecutive action situations at intervals of . The middle figure presents the machine and the side figures the position of the left and right cylinder and the mathematical description of these situations.
In the past I have made two models, which confirmed the legitimacy of my theoretical assumptions concerning the METOZ machine. I have got photographs.
I am looking for a person who would be interested in my invention. I can offer ample information. I look forward to hearing from you.

http://www.nets.pl/~metozor/three_levers.html

13 - 03 -2005 Gdynia, Polska Zygmunt Orłowski
P.S. The term “gravitational paradox” use in this description relates to the mathematical and physical description of the action of the METOZ-machine.
THE EARTH GRAVITATION CAN BE THE SOURCE OF CLEAN ENERGY.

Comment for METOZ

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By

Orlowski Zygmunt

Poland 2005

index html

Comments concerning machine "METOZ"
"METOZ" is able to realize the cycle "deflection" and the cycle "straighening." Both cycles are in accordance with current physic's laws. "METOZ" as machine can not work and hand over the energy because it would be inconsonant to the law of conservation of energy.
I propose to execute the following intelectual process:
we have found ourselves in the Europe of XVII century. We know the trigonometry in the scope of being occured for "METOZ." We know what is the even-arm lever and moment of force too. Just appeears Mr. Baise Pascal / 1623--1662/ and he publishes his hydraulics law with adequated experiment. All thinkers are sure that this law is correct and quite real. This time someone invents machine "METOZ". Now turn up the following questions:
1/ why the implementation of the cycle "deflection" is impossible?
2/ why the implementation of the cycle "straightening" is impossible?Both groups: opponents and followers of bulding "METOZ" live in XVII--th century and they not know that:
a/ the idea of an "energy" will be introduced into science scarlerly in mid. of XIX century,
b/ the law of conservation of the energy will be exist scarlerly after 1847 y.
QVESTION!!!
WHAT KIND OF RATIONALY ENTERELY / ARGUMENT/ CAN BE DREAMED UP THE OPPONENTS OF BUILDING THE MACHINE "METOZ' IN XVII CENTURY.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please open GOOgle and klick metozor and after : index of metozor At is site that explains technical details in easy to understand language. Thank you for your time and interest.
Everyone is able to build just the model of METOZ machine and test it. It is not a long shot.It is very easy.
Typical example : http://www.nets.pl/~metozor/for_greenpeace.html

[Orlowski Zygmunt]

My idea is very difficult for understanding. It is not difficult for engineer - mechanic, who knows very good the Pascal's law and even-arm lever.
So you think we have an energy problem? No, we have a political problem.
I am inventor and owner of Metoz machine invention. Everyone can take absolutely and legitimate the METOZ invention and build the Metoz machine.
see as well: http://www.nets.pl/~metozor/?S=A

[segg]

I like the people like you.
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[WilliamStallings]

hi..
in the future it is very difficult to get solarenergy.becaz now a days the entire world is looking for clean energy i.e,nothing but a solar energy.
===========================================
WilliamStallings123

Arizona Alcohol Addiction Treatment

[Solar Power Light]

Very nice. Thanks for this useful blog.To know about solar energy visit http://www.solarenergy-solarpower.com.
Solar Energy - Solar Power site is providing all the information and products you need to start your own solar power project.

[Solar Power Light]

Thanks for this useful blog.To know about solar
energy visit http://www.solarenergy-solarpower.com.
Solar Energy - Solar Power site is providing all the information
and products you need to start your own solar power project.

[bell]

Well now, I was searching for blogs on fitness or health when i came across this post. Although not exactly what I was expecting I will give it ****.

[Solar Energy Adovocate]

solar-trough technology technology provides a more effective way to tap into the abundant energy of the sun.

it is fantastic people are coming up with creative ways to tap solar energy for use, this underscores the many

"http://mysolarenergyadvantages.com">solar energy advantages that we can productively harness.

you can find more objective information of real users of
solar panel electricity in your neighborhood and find out what they have to say about

"http://mysolarenergyadvantages.com">
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[Solar Energy Adovocate]

it is fantastic people are coming up with creative ways to tap solar energy for use, this underscores the many

"http://mysolarenergyadvantages.com">solar energy advantages that we can productively harness.

you can find more objective information of real users of
solar panel electricity in your neighborhood and find out what they have to say about

"http://mysolarenergyadvantages.com">
solar energy advantages

[solar power hot water heaters]

Energy is the primary element required for any work. With the revolution in technology, it has been realised to discover new energy resources. At earlier stage the main energy resources were wind, sun and water.

[Tarik Al-Jassim]

Dear sirs/madams
Turn key project to Iraq
Supply and operating of concentrated solar power (CSP) power plant to generate electrical power as below:
-trough system from parabolic mirror
-metal solar receiver evacuated tube
-steam turbine generator
-electrical generator about 50 KW
-electrical mechanical control system
-Stainless steel storages and pipes for oil and water
-control over the station through computerized system
-temperature, fluid and power gauges at all joints of station
-all the required civil work design included
-detailed training program to cover design, installation, operation, and maintenance for specialists and engineers
-system basic design to be approved by Iraqi side before starting the project

[photobioreactors]

Photo Bio reactor uses to produce bio diesel from algae. There are many research and development in using Photo bio reactor to produce bio diesel from algae. This is an environment friendly and cost effective system and it can help producing bio diesel which is the best alternative for petroleum diesel. They are cheaper source of producing bio diesel.