Largest solar thermal power stations (CSP) list

Largest operational solar thermal power stations list. Commercial concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, also called "solar thermal power stations".

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List.solar has compiled the global rating of top CSP plants sorted by capacity. Only megawatt-scale systems are included in the list (50MW+). Most of the winning stations use parabolic trough technology. Solar power tower systems rank second. Dish Stirling technology is not currently used in utility-scale CSP stations.

Electrical capacity (MW) Name Country Location Developer Technology type Storage hours Notes
510 Ouarzazate Solar Power Station Morocco map TSK-Acciona-Sener Parabolic trough and solar power tower (Phase 3) 3 / 7 / 7.5 160 MW Phase 1 with 3 hours heat storage. 200 MW phase 2 with 7 hours heat storage is online from January 2018. 150 MW (Phase 3) with 7.5 hours storage is online from November 2018
392 Ivanpah Solar Power Facility USA map BrightSource Energy, Bechtel Solar power towe   Operational since February 2014. Located southwest of Las Vegas.
310 Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) USA map Luz Industries Parabolic trough   Collection of 9 units 1984-1990. Originally 354 MW. First two units (44 MW out of total 354 MW) were decommissioned after 30 years and replaced by solar PV.
280 Mojave Solar Project USA map Abengoa Solar Parabolic trough   Completed December 2014. Gross capacity of 280 MW corresponds to net capacity of 250 MW
280 Solana Generating Station USA map Abengoa Solar Parabolic trough   Completed in October 2013, with 6 hours thermal energy storage
280 Genesis Solar Energy Project USA map NextEra Energy Resources Parabolic trough   Online April 24, 2014
200 Solaben Solar Power Station Spain map Abener/Teyma Parabolic trough   Solaben 3 completed June 2012. Solaben 2 completed October 2012. Solaben 1 and 6 completed September 2013.
150 Solnova Solar Power Station Spain map Abengoa Solar Parabolic trough   Solnova 1 completed May 2010. Solnova 3 completed May 2010. Solnova 4 completed August 2010.
150 Andasol solar power station Spain map Solar Millennium (25%), ACS Cobra (75%) Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed: Andasol 1 (2008), Andasol 2 (2009), Andasol 3 (2011). Each equipped with a 7.5 hour thermal energy storage.
150 Extresol Solar Power Station Spain map ACS/Cobra Group Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed: Extresol 1 and 2 (2010), Extresol 3 (2012). Each equipped with a 7.5-hour thermal energy storage.
125 Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project USA map SolarReserve Solar power tower 10 with 10h heat storage; commercial operation began September 2015
125 Dhursar India map Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy fresnel reflector   Completed November 2014, referred as 125 MW is some sources
121 Ashalim Power Station (Negev Energy) Israel map BrightSource Energy, General Electric Parabolic trough 4.5 4.5h heat storage. Completed August 2019 and located in Negev desert
121 Megalim Power Station (Negev Energy) Israel map Megalim Solar Power Ltd Solar power tower   Completed April 2019 and located in Negev desert
100 Kathu Solar Park South Africa map ENGIE Parabolic trough 4.5 Completed February 2018, With 4.5h heat storage
100 KaXu Solar One South Africa map Abengoa Solar Parabolic trough 2.5 With 2.5h heat storage
100 Xina Solar One South Africa map Abengoa Solar Parabolic trough 5.5 Commissioned in September 2017 with 5.5h heat storage.
100 Manchasol Power Station Spain map ACS/Cobra Group Parabolic trough 7.5 Manchasol 1 and 2 completed in 2011, each with 7.5h heat storage
100 Valle Solar Power Station Spain map SENER Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed December 2011, with 7.5h heat storage
100 Helioenergy Solar Power Station Spain map Abengoa Solar, EON Parabolic trough   Helioenergy 1 completed September 2011. Helioenergy 2 completed January 2012.
100 Aste Solar Power Station Spain map Elecnor/Aries/ABM AMRO Parabolic trough   Aste 1A Completed January 2012, with 8h heat storage. Aste 1B Completed January 2012, with 8h heat storage.
100 Solacor Solar Power Station Spain map Abengoa Solar, JGC Parabolic trough   Solacor 1 completed February 2012. Solacor 2 completed March 2012.
100 Helios Solar Power Station Spain map Helios I Hyperion Energy Investments, Helios II Hyperion Energy Investments Parabolic trough   Helios 1 completed May 2012. Helios 2 completed August 2012.
100 Shams solar power station United Arab Emirates map Shams Power Company (Masdar, Total, Abengoa Solar) Parabolic trough   Shams 1 completed March 2013
100 Termosol Solar Power Station Spain map NextEra, FPL Parabolic trough   Both Termosol 1 and 2 completed in 2013.
100 Palma del Río I & II Spain map Acciona Energía Parabolic trough   Palma del Rio 2 completed December 2010. Palma del Rio 1 completed July 2011.
100 Ilanga 1 South Africa map SENER, Emvelo and Cobra Parabolic trough 5 With 5h heat storage. Operational since 2018
100 Shouhang Dunhuang China map Beijing Shouhang IHW Solar power tower 7.5 With 7.5h heat storage. Operational since end of December 2018
75 Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center USA map Florida Power & Light Company SCC with parabolic trough   Completed December 2010
75 Nevada Solar One USA map Acciona Solar Power Parabolic trough   Operational since 2007
50 Guzmán Spain map FCC Energy Parabolic trough   Completed July 2012
50 Khi Solar One South Africa map Abengoa Solar - IDC Solar power tower 2 Completed Feb 2016. With 2h heat storage.
50 Bokpoort South Africa map ACWA Power, Acciona, SENER and TSK and South Africa’s Crowie Parabolic trough 9 With 9h heat storage
50 Puertollano Solar Thermal Power Plant Spain map Iberdrola Renovables Castilla-La Mancha Parabolic trough   Completed May 2009
50 Alvarado I Spain map Acciona Energy Parabolic trough   Completed July 2009
50 La Florida Spain map Renovables SAMCA Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed July 2010
50 Arenales PS Spain map RREF/OHL Parabolic trough 7 Start production date november 2013
50 Casablanca Spain map ACS - COBRA group Parabolic trough 7.5 Land area 200 hectares.
50 Majadas de Tiétar Spain map Acciona Energía Parabolic trough   Completed August 2010
50 La Dehesa Spain map Renovables SAMCA Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed November 2010
50 Lebrija-1 Spain map Solucia Renovables 1, S.L. Parabolic trough   Completed July 2011
50 Astexol 2 Spain map Elecnor/Aries/ABM AMRO Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed November 2011, with 7.5h thermal energy storage
50 Morón Spain map Ibereólica Solar Parabolic trough   Completed May 2012
50 La Africana Spain map Ortiz/TSK/Magtel Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed July 2012, with 7.5h thermal energy storage
50 Olivenza 1 Spain map Ibereólica Solar Parabolic trough   Completed July 2012
50 Orellana Spain map Acciona Parabolic trough   Completed August 2012
50 Godawari Green Energy Limited India map Godawari Green Energy Limited Parabolic trough   Land Area 150 hectares
50 Enerstar Villena Power Plant Spain map FCC Energy Parabolic trough   Completed 2013
50 Megha Solar Plant India map Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Parabolic trough   Completed 2014
50 Delingha Solar Plant China map CGN Delingha Solar Energy Parabolic trough 9 Completed July 2018 with 9 hours of thermal energy storage
50 Supcon Solar Delingha China map SUPCON Solar power tower 7 Completed December 2018
50 Shagaya CSP Kuwait map TSK Parabolic trough 10 Commercial operation started in February 2019, 10 hours thermal storage
50 Waad Al Shamal ISCC Plant Saudi Arabia map General Electric ISCC with parabolic trough   Commercial operation started in 2018, 1,390 MW plant with 50 MW solar
50 Qinghai Gonghe CSP China map Supcon Solar Power tower 6 With 6 h heat storage.

Concentrating solar, or solar thermal power plants, utilize systems of mirror or lenses and trackers to focus a huge volume of sunlight onto a receiver and generate heat energy. The thermal energy is either harnessed for industrial process heating or for creating steam, which turns a turbogenerator, producing electricity.

A CSP station can be supplemented with a storage system, which allows generating electrical power even at night or in dull weather.

There are four key groups of solar thermal systems, each of them having different variations and configurations. There is no single opinion as to which technology is optimal, all of them have their own pros and cons.

  1. Parabolic trough is the oldest and best-developed CSP tech. The solar field consists of parallel rows of parabolically curved solar collectors comprised of reflectors, which concentrate sunlight onto a receiver tube filled with working fluid. The latter is heated to considerable temperatures and produces steam, the heat of which is utilized for electricity making. The reflectors are installed on single-axis trackers, going after the sun to keep its radiation always concentrated on a receiver pipe, which runs right above the trough-shaped mirror.
  2. Power tower tech is not so developed as a parabolic trough, but it is a fast-developing and promising system. The heat-transfer fluids in such systems reach temps much higher than in parabolic troughs, and consequently they provide higher conversion efficiency. The technology is comprised of a tall tower with a receiver above, surrounded with heliostats – reflectors that track the sun’s position along 2 axes and focus solar irradiance onto a receiver. The working fluid gets heated, which results in formation of steam running a power generator. Energy storage systems are often integrated into power towers to provide uninterrupted electricity generation.
  3. Linear Fresnel technology is much similar to a parabolic trough. The difference is in the form of mirrors used. Instead of curved reflectors, Fresnel system contains parallel rows of strip-shaped flat mirrors. They also follow the sun’s rays to concentrate them onto a system of receiver pipes filled with heat transfer fluid. The concentrating surface of flat reflectors is larger compared to parabolically curved mirrors and they are less expensive. Like parabolic troughs and solar power towers, Fresnel projects can also be integrated with energy storage.
  4. Parabolic dish systems are made of a dish-shaped concentrator that focuses solar energy onto a receiver installed at a focal point. The reflector is installed on a double-axis tracking system. Unlike other CSP technologies where heat energy is converted into electrical power by a turbogenerator, in most dish systems steam is used to drive an engine (commonly Stirling engine). Today, dish-engine solutions are rarely used for commercial power production. A parabolic dish may be heated to extremely high temperature, which is a promising option for making a solar fuel.

 

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