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Australia,Germany,Spain : NOVATEC SOLAR commissions solar thermal energy demo plant in SPAIN for its new storage technology [TendersInfo (India)]
[September 15, 2014]

Australia,Germany,Spain : NOVATEC SOLAR commissions solar thermal energy demo plant in SPAIN for its new storage technology [TendersInfo (India)]


(TendersInfo (India) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Novatec Solar has commissioned a solar thermal energy demonstration plant in Spain that is based on a new type of molten salt storage technology.

The Novatec Solar says the new plant uses a process called direct molten salt or DMS technology, where inorganic salts are used as a heat transfer fluid rather than oils.

This means that the plant can operate at temperatures well above 500°C, resulting in an increase in power yield. This means that costs are lowered and the solar plants can act as baseload generators.

Andreas Wittke, CEO of Novatec Solar, which is 85% owned by Australia s Transfield Holdings, says that the technology will be able to operate on a commercial basis.

The commissioning and the initial results of the DMS demo plant confirmed the expectations of the technology.

The use of DMS technology is used at the 110 MW Crescent Dunes power tower unit nearing completion in Nevada, which will be the largest solar thermal plant with storage in the world.

The demonstration plant in southern Spain that features this new technology will be used to simulate a large number of different operating conditions to help develop the next generation of solar thermal power plants.



The storage capability means that the thermal energy be converted into electrical power or be stored in large molten salt tanks during periods of low demand.

This energy can be kept in reserve when production is low. Solar thermal power plants with storage systems can supply electricity when required, which helps to ensure grid stability.


The molten salt technology was developed by BASF for the Fresnel collector technology, which uses flat glass reflectors rather than parabolic trough collectors.

The reflectors concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, through which the molten salt is pumped. This has the effect of heating the salt to temperatures in excess of 500°C.

(c) 2014 Euclid Infotech Pvt. Ltd. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

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