Lift power in Spain

Work has started on the construction of two thermosolar power plants plants in Cadiz, Spain. Torresol Energy, 60% owned by Sener, has begun work in the town of San José del Valle.

Each plant will have an installed capacity of 50 MW. The total solar field area of Valle 1 and Valle 2 will be 510,120 m2 of mirrors on a surface area of 460 hectares. Net electrical output is 175 GWh/year. A thermal storage system at each plant means they will still produce electricity for seven hours without sunshine, according to Sener.

Construction of the concrete central tower started earlier this year and it has already passed 70 m using a Jaso saddle jib tower crane and continuous slip form casting.

The construction work will provide employment for more than 1,000 people and is scheduled for completion in early 2011, as is the rest of the Gemasolar project that these two new ones are part of.