María Elena Solar Power Plant
María Elena Solar Power Plant | |
---|---|
Thermosolar plant | |
Location of María Elena Solar Power Plant in Chile | |
Country | Chile |
Location | Antofagasta |
Coordinates | CL-AN 22°10′S 69°25′W / 22.167°S 69.417°WCoordinates: CL-AN 22°10′S 69°25′W / 22.167°S 69.417°W |
Status | Project approved |
Commission date | Dec 2012 |
Solar field | |
Type | CSP |
CSP technology | Solar power tower |
Power generation | |
Units operational | 4 |
Nameplate capacity | 400 MW |
Average generation | 110 GWh |
María Elena Solar Power Plant (Spanish: Planta Termosolar María Elena) is a concentrated solar power plant with a molten salt heat storage#Molten salt technology system that is currently under construction in the commune of María Elena in the Antofagasta Region of Chile.
María Elena
The María Elena plant [1] will see the construction and operation of a 400 MW thermo-solar complex in the northern Chilean region of Antofagasta. Thermo solar technology, which employs a heliostat receiver system, has proven to be up to five times more cost effective than standard photovoltaic solar panels.
Details
The María Elena complex will be made up of four separate 100 MW plants,[2] and will supply the northern SING (Sistema Interconectado del Norte Gande) grid via a 17.5 km, 220 kV double circuit transmission line connected to the Encuentro substation. The $3.6 billion thermo solar plant will be the largest plant of its kind in the world. The project is being developed by Ibereólica Solar Atacama, a subsidiary of Madrid-based Grupo Ibereólica. It will employ 1,500 workers during the construction stage and 200 as permanent staff when in operation. Construction will take 27 months so the plant will be operational in July 2016 at the earliest.[3]
See also
- Cerro Dominador Solar Thermal Plant
- Energy in Chile
- Concentrated solar power
- List of solar thermal power stations
- Renewable energy
- Solar thermal energy
- Antofagasta
- María Elena
- Atacama Desert
References
- ↑ Here comes the sun Chile greenlights enormous 400-megawatt solar project www.thisischile.cl Friday, August 23, 2013 retrieved August 30, 2013
- ↑ Planta Termosolar María Elena www.bnamericas.com retrieved August 30, 2013
- ↑ Ingresa a evaluación ambiental mayor planta termosolar del mundo www.estrategia.cl December 12, 2012 retrieved September 2, 2013
External links
- (Spanish) Municipality of María Elena