The solar potential
There is more than adequate solar radiation to satisfy electricity demand worldwide. The amount of rays that reaches the earth from the sun, are adequate to deliver over 10,000 times of the current global energy consumption. Normally, every meter square of land is exposed to sufficient sunlight that can yield about 1,700 kWh of electricity annually.
With the great solar potential worldwide and the fact that solar energy is renewable, green and readily available, most industrialized nations have setup solar plants to harness solar energy. The developing nations have also not been left out in the Advances of Solar Power Plants Worldwide, they have also set up solar plants in the quest for a greener, ecofriendly and cheaper energy source.
To show the Advances of solar power plants worldwide, we look at several solar power plant stations over the globe.
The Solar Generating Systems (SEGS) in California, USA.
SEGS in California is one of the reputable solar power plant in the world. It has a combined electricity generating capacity from three separate location making it the second largest solar thermal energy generating plant in the globe, at 354 megawatt of electric power. Contrary to most solar plants worldwide, this plants generate electricity by use of the concentrated solar power technology which utilizes lenses and mirrors to focus a wide area of sunlight onto a relatively smaller area.
SEGS comprises of nine solar power plants specifically located in Mojave Desert in California. The plants are specifically situated in Mojave Desert due to the fact that insolation is best in this Desert.
Israel’s southern Negev Desert, solar power plant.
Another demonstration of the Advances of solar power plants worldwide is the Israel’s southern Negev Desert, solar power plant. This plant is the World’s Highest Solar Power Plant Being Built on a 787 foot tower, the Megalim tower. The power plant is another depiction of the words shift from photovoltaic technology to concentrated solar power technology.
The plant is encircled by over 40,000 computer controlled mirrors to ensure sunlight is maximally harnessed. It is expected that this plant will be complete by late 2017 and will generate 121 megawatts power, which will account for 1% of the country’s power needs. The projects is part of the Israel’s government plans to have 10% of the country’s energy needs been provided by renewables.
Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS), In Morocco.
Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS) is a solar power plant located in Sous-Massa –drab region in Morocco It is currently the world largest concentrated solar power plant. Once complete it is expected that this solar plant will generate 580MW of electric power. The plant uses concentrated solar power technology but is different from the rest in that its technology will enable it to store solar energy in the form[b1] of heated molten salt, thus enabling electricity production even at night.
Shams Solar Power Station, In UAE.
Shams Solar Power Station is another solar plant also utilizing the concentrated solar power technology and most specifically uses Parabolic through technology. Only unit one of the Shams Solar Power Station is operational and was Commissioned in 2013 .
This operational unit produces 100MW of electric power which is enough to power about 20,00 homes. Shams comprise of 192 solar collector assembly loops each with 8 solar collector assembly, 258,048 parabolic mirrors and an approximate area of 2.5 sq. km.
Finally, it is clear that there has been Advances of Solar Power Plants Worldwide, with most countries advocating for the concentrated solar power technology over the photovoltaic technology mainly due to its efficiency in terms of occupying a relatively low space in comparison to the photovoltaic technology.