Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT)

The Plataforma Solar de Almería in action
The mirrors concentrate the light during the irradiation tests by directing the incident sun rays to the radiation receiver in the tower. The solar platform is under the control of the Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, CIEMAT.
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Aerial view of the Plataforma Solar de Almería
The solar platform is the largest European test centre for concentrating solar technologies and is located in the Tabernas desert in the province of Almería. It is owned and operated by the Spanish research centre CIEMAT.
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CIEMAT

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Outdoor exposure racks for material samples in front of the OPAC laboratory
Here, researchers carry out experiments in real desert and coastal climates. The solar platform in Almería (owned and operated by CIEMAT) offers ideal conditions for this.
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At Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA), owned and operated by the Spanish research center CIEMAT, DLR researchers test high-temperature solar technologies in practice and investigate innovative approaches in the fields of photovoltaics and agricultural integration. Europe's largest test center for concentrating solar technologies is located in the sun-rich desert of Tabernas/Spain. It offers optimal conditions for the research and development of solar technologies.

Concentrated solar expertise and plenty of solar energy

In the province of Almería in southern Spain, the DLR Institute of Solar Research has access to the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) - the world's largest and most comprehensive research and development center for concentrating solar systems. The PSA is owned and operated by the Spanish research center CIEMAT, a long-standing cooperation partner of DLR.

The PSA is located in south-eastern Spain, in the Tabernas Desert, where it is sunny and hot for most of the year. The annual direct solar radiation reaches more than 1.900 kilowatt-hours per square metre and the average annual temperature is 17 degrees Celsius. PSA has more than forty years of experience in the operation, maintenance and evaluation of solar thermal concentrator systems, their components and various types of commercial applications. It has a range of test facilities and laboratories for R&D activities related to concentrating solar thermal systems.

Our scientists use PSA's test facilities and laboratories to test and develop high temperature solar technologies under real world conditions. In the field of photovoltaics, we are working at the PSA and in Almería on quality control methods, testing coatings and investigating ways of combining agricultural activity with solar power generation.

PSA test facilities and laboratories at a glance

Bezeichnung

Beschreibung

CESA-1

Solar tower power plant, 300 heliostats of 40 m² each, 7 MWth, tower height 83 m, 4 test platforms

SSPS-CRT

Solar tower power plant, 92 heliostats of 40 m² each, 2.7 MWth, tower height 43 m, 2 test platforms

DISS

Direct Solar Evaporation, 800 m, LS-3 and SL4600 collectors, 3.7 MWth, 500 °C/100 bar steam

HTF

Test facility for east-west oriented 75 m collectors (EuroTrough, Hursa and Albiasa collectors)

PROMETEO

East-west oriented collector loop (two 100 m Iberdrola collectors, 7.5 m aperture)

PTTL

BOP infrastructure for east-west and north-south collector loops, thermal oil up to 400 °C

NEP

Solar field for process heat, eight east-west oriented Polytrough 1200 collectors, 200 °C, 125 kWth

IFL

East-west EuroTrough loop (100 m) for heating compressed gases, 515 °C/100 bar
TPC-100: Solar field for testing control systems (400 °C), 6 x 100 m, north-south, thermal collectors

TPC-100

Solarfeld zum Testen von Regelsystemen (400 °C), 6 x 100 m, Nord-süd-Ausrichtung, Thermopower Kollektoren

FRESDEMO

SPG Fresnel collector, solar direct evaporation, up to 450 °C/100 bar, 25 rows of mirrors per 100 m

KONTAS

Rotating test facility for parabolic mirrors up to 20 m long, component testing, 400 °C/20 bar

REPA

Cyclic tester for flexible collector connections, up to 400 °C/20 bar

EURODISH

Two dish Stirling systems with GRP parabolic reflector (8.5 m), 10kW, 650 °C/150 bar

DISH ageing test stand

Dish-Stirling system, thermal stress testing, concentration factor 12,000

SF-60

Solar furnace for thermal materials testing, 15 m parabolic reflector, 60 kW, concentration 3,000 suns

SF-40

Solar furnace for thermal materials testing, 8.5 m parabolic reflector, 40 kW, concentration factor 7,000

SF-5

Vertical solar furnace for thermal materials testing, 3.5 m mirror, 5 kW, concentration 6,000 suns

MOSA

Thermal storage tank for testing storage components, cold and hot tank, solar salt up to 500 degrees Celsius

MED

Therm. Desalination plant, 14 stages, 600 m² flat collector solar field, 90 °C, 190 kWth, production 3 m³/h

CSD+D

Two steam generators (250 MWth, 500 MWth) to provide steam for desalination, 119 kg/h

MDTF

Fully automated desalination plant with flat plate collectors and water storage tank, 90 °C, 14 kWth

SOLWATER

Solar water decontamination, CPC collectors, transparent tubes, approx. 30 m², 37 degrees inclination

HYWATOX

Photocatalytic hydrogen production with PTC collectors, transparent absorber tubes, 2 m²

WETOX

Humidity oxidation system for water purification, pilot plant with 1 litre reactor, 300 °C/200 bar

METAS

Measuring station for solar meteorology (DNI, global, diffuse, UV radiation, wind, temperature, humidity)

LECE

Laboratory for the analysis of low energy house components

OPAC

Optics laboratory to study the ageing of materials with optical coatings

GeoLab

Laboratory for the analysis of the geometrical quality of optical components

RadLab

Radiometer measurement laboratory (intensity of concentrated radiation, infrared high-temperature measurement)

SRTLab

Receiver test and characterisation laboratory for concentrating solar thermal systems

MasterLab

Laboratory for the qualification of materials under concentrated solar radiation (durability tests)

WATLAB

Water technology laboratory for analytical support of water treatment experiments

BES

Laboratory for the analysis of materials and components used in salt storage systems

OCTLAB

Selective absorber tube coating development and qualification laboratory

TESLAB

Thermal storage materials evaluation laboratory (solid, liquid and phase change materials)

Contact

Dr.-Ing. Peter Heller

Department Head Qualification
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Institute of Solar Research
Calle Doctor Carracido 42, E-04005 Almería
Spain