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List of solar thermal power stations facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This article is about the biggest power stations that make electricity using solar thermal power. This special kind of solar power uses the sun's heat to create energy, often by focusing sunlight with mirrors. It's also known as concentrated solar power.

Amazing Solar Power Plants

Solar thermal power plants are like giant magnifying glasses. They use mirrors or lenses to focus sunlight onto a small area. This concentrated sunlight creates a lot of heat. This heat is then used to boil water, making steam. The steam spins a turbine, which is like a big fan, and this turbine powers a generator to make electricity.

Some of these plants can even store heat. This means they can keep making electricity even after the sun goes down! This stored heat is usually in special salts that can stay hot for many hours.

Big Solar Power Plants Working Now

Here are some of the largest solar thermal power stations that are currently making electricity around the world. Their "electrical capacity" tells you how much power they can produce, measured in megawatts (MW). One megawatt can power hundreds of homes!

Big Solar Thermal Power Stations (50 MW or more)
Name Country Electrical capacity
(MW)
When it started How it works Heat storage
(hours)
Cool facts
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park Phase IV  United Arab Emirates 700 2023 Parabolic trough, solar tower 15 This huge park combines two types of solar thermal tech.
Noor / Ouarzazate Solar Power Station  Morocco 510 Parabolic trough and solar power tower 3 / 7 / 7.5 This plant has grown in stages, adding more power and storage.
Ivanpah Solar Power Facility  US 392 2014 Solar power tower It was finished in early 2014.
Mojave Solar Project  US 280 Parabolic trough Completed in December 2014.
Solana Generating Station  US 280 October 2013 Parabolic trough 6 It can store heat for 6 hours.
Genesis Solar Energy Project  US 280 2014 Parabolic trough Started making power in April 2014.
Solaben Solar Power Station  Spain 200 2012 Parabolic trough Several parts of this station were finished between 2012 and 2013.
Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS)  US 160 1984 Parabolic trough This was originally a very large complex built in the 1980s.
Solnova Solar Power Station  Spain 150 2010 Parabolic trough Different parts of Solnova were completed in 2010.
Andasol solar power station  Spain 150 2008 Parabolic trough 7.5 This plant uses special molten salt to store heat for 7.5 hours.
Extresol Solar Power Station  Spain 150 2010 Parabolic trough 7.5 Like Andasol, it can store heat for 7.5 hours.
Dhursar  India 125 2014 Fresnel reflector This plant uses a different type of mirror system.
Ashalim Power Station (Negev Energy)  Israel 121 Parabolic trough 4.5 It has 4.5 hours of heat storage.
Megalim Power Station (Negev Energy)  Israel 121 Solar power tower This plant is also in the Negev desert.
Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project  US 110 Solar power tower 10 It can store heat for 10 hours.
Cerro Dominador Solar Thermal Plant (Atacama 1)  Chile 110 Solar power tower 17.5 This plant has a huge 17.5 hours of heat storage!
Shouhang Dunhuang  China 110 Solar power tower 15 / 7.5 It has two phases, one with 15 hours and another with 7.5 hours of storage.
Kathu Solar Park  South Africa 100 Parabolic trough 4.5 Completed in 2018 with 4.5 hours of storage.
KaXu Solar One  South Africa 100 Parabolic trough 2.5 It has 2.5 hours of heat storage.
Xina Solar One  South Africa 100 Parabolic trough 5.5 Started in 2017 with 5.5 hours of storage.
Manchasol Power Station  Spain 100 Parabolic trough 7.5 Both parts of this plant have 7.5 hours of storage.
Valle Solar Power Station  Spain 100 Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed in 2011 with 7.5 hours of storage.
Helioenergy Solar Power Station  Spain 100 Parabolic trough Two parts completed in 2011 and 2012.
Aste Solar Power Station  Spain 100 Parabolic trough 8 Both parts have 8 hours of heat storage.
Solacor Solar Power Station  Spain 100 Parabolic trough Two parts completed in 2012.
Helios Solar Power Station  Spain 100 Parabolic trough Two parts completed in 2012.
Shams solar power station  UAE 100 Parabolic trough Shams 1 was completed in 2013.
Termosol Solar Power Station  Spain 100 Parabolic trough Both Termosol 1 and 2 were completed in 2013.
Palma del Río I & II  Spain 100 Parabolic trough Two parts completed in 2010 and 2011.
Ilanga 1  South Africa 100 Parabolic trough 5 Operational since 2018 with 5 hours of storage.
CSNP Royal Tech Urat CSP  China 100 Parabolic trough 10 Completed in 2020 with 10 hours of storage.
Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center  US 75 ISCC with parabolic trough Completed in 2010.
Nevada Solar One  US 75 Parabolic trough This plant has been running since 2007.
Dacheng Dunhuang CSP  China 60 Fresnel reflector 16 / 15 Two phases, one with 16 hours and another with 15 hours of storage.
Supcon Solar Delingha  China 60 Solar power tower 2 / 7 Two phases, with different storage times.
Guzmán  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2012.
Khi Solar One  South Africa 50 Solar power tower 2 Completed in 2016 with 2 hours of storage.
Bokpoort  South Africa 50 Parabolic trough 9 It has 9 hours of heat storage.
Puertollano Solar Thermal Power Plant  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2009.
Alvarado I  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2009.
La Florida  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2010.
Arenales PS  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2013.
Casablanca  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2013.
Majadas de Tiétar  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2010.
La Dehesa  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2010.
Lebrija-1  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2011.
Astexol 2  Spain 50 Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed in 2011 with 7.5 hours of storage.
Morón  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2012.
La Africana  Spain 50 Parabolic trough 7.5 Completed in 2012 with 7.5 hours of storage.
Olivenza 1  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2012.
Orellana  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2012.
Godawari Green Energy Limited  India 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2013.
Enerstar Villena Power Plant  Spain 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2013.
Megha Solar Plant  India 50 Parabolic trough Completed in 2014.
Delingha Solar Plant  China 50 Parabolic trough 9 Completed in 2018 with 9 hours of storage.
Shagaya CSP  Kuwait 50 Parabolic trough 10 Started in 2019 with 10 hours of storage.
Waad Al Shamal ISCC Plant  Saudi Arabia 50 ISCC with parabolic trough Started in 2018. This is a larger plant that uses solar power as a part of its energy mix.
Qinghai Gonghe CSP  China 50 Solar power tower 6 Completed in 2019 with 6 hours of storage.
Luneng Haixi CSP  China 50 Solar power tower 12 Completed in 2019 with 12 hours of storage.
Hami CSP  China 50 Solar power tower 13 Completed in 2019 with 13 hours of storage.
Yumen Xinneng CSP  China 50 2020 Beam down tower 9

New Solar Power Plants Being Built

These are big solar thermal power stations that are currently being built. They will soon be ready to make clean electricity!

Solar Thermal Power Stations Under Construction (50 MW or more)
Name Country Electrical
capacity
(MW)
Expected
completion
How it works Cool facts
Golmud CSP  China 200 Power tower
Shouhang Yumen CSP  China 100 Solar power tower
Redstone Solar Thermal Power  South Africa 100 2023 Solar power tower It will have 12 hours of heat storage.
Erdos Solar Power Plant  China 50 Parabolic trough
Gansu Akesai CSP  China 50  ? Parabolic trough It will have 15 hours of storage.
Rayspower Yumen CSP  China 50  ? Parabolic trough

Future Solar Power Plants

These are solar thermal power stations that have been announced and are planned for the future.

Planned Solar Thermal Power Stations
Name Country Electrical capacity (MW) How it works Cool facts
Noor Midelt II  Morocco 230
Noor Midelt I  Morocco 200 Hybrid solar power with combination of 600 MW solar PV and 200 MW solar thermal with 5h heat storage This plant will combine solar thermal with solar PV (solar panels).
Tamarugal Solar Project  Chile 450 Three solar power towers with 13h heat storage This project plans to use three solar power towers.
Likana Solar Project  Chile 390 Three solar power towers with 13h heat storage
Copiapó Solar Project  Chile 260 Solar power tower PV integrated. With 14h heat storage This will also combine solar thermal with solar panels.
Solnova 2, 4–5  Spain 100 Parabolic trough with heat storage
Gulang CSP  China 100 Parabolic trough
Golden Tower CSP  China 100 Power tower
Mashhad solar-thermal power station  Iran 72 Parabolic dish with tracer system
Chabei CSP  China 64 Parabolic trough
Al-Abdaliya  Kuwait 60 Parabolic trough
AZ 20  Spain 50 Solar power tower
Shangyi CSP  China 50 Power tower
Zhangjiakou CSP  China 50 Fresnel reflector

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List of solar thermal power stations Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.