Solar power in Spain facts for kids
Spain is a big player in the world of solar power. It's the fourth largest maker of solar technology. Spain sends 80% of its solar tech to Germany.
Spain is a great place for solar energy because it gets more sunshine than any other country in Europe. The Spanish government aimed to get 12% of its main energy from renewable energy by 2010. This meant they wanted to create 400 megawatts of solar power.
In 2004, the Spanish government made it easier for solar power plants to connect to the main electricity grid. They also made sure that solar plants would get paid fairly for the energy they produced. This helped solar power grow a lot in Spain.
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How Solar Thermal Power Plants Work
In March 2007, Europe's first big solar power tower opened near Seville, Spain. This plant is called the PS10 solar power tower. It can make 11 megawatts of electricity.
The PS10 plant uses 624 large mirrors called heliostats. Each mirror is about 120 square meters (1,290 square feet) big. These mirrors focus the sun's rays onto the top of a tall tower. The tower is 115 meters (377 feet) high.
At the top of the tower, there is a special receiver that gets very hot. This heat creates steam. The steam then spins a turbine, which is like a big fan. The turbine is connected to a generator that makes electricity.
The PS10 is just one part of a bigger plan. More solar power plants will be built in the same area. By 2013, these plants together aimed to produce over 300 megawatts of power. They use different types of solar technology.
Solar thermal power plants are great for sunny places like Spain. They work best when there is a lot of sunshine, especially in summer. This helps meet the high demand for air conditioning. Some plants can even store heat. This means they can keep making electricity even after the sun goes down. For example, the AndaSol solar plants can store heat for 6 to 12 hours. This helps them provide power for much longer each year.
Photovoltaic Solar Power
Photovoltaics (PV) is another way to make electricity from the sun. It uses solar cells that turn sunlight directly into power. Construction started on a 20-megawatt PV solar power system in Trujillo, Cáceres, Spain. This new plant cost about €150 million. It was designed to be twice as powerful as the previous largest PV system in Germany.
This project uses 200 units, each making 100 kilowatts of power. In total, it has 120,000 PV modules. It was set up to get the best payment rates for the electricity it produced.
BP Solar also started building a new solar cell factory in Tres Cantos, Madrid. This factory is part of their European headquarters. In its first phase, BP Solar planned to increase its yearly solar cell making from 55 megawatts to about 300 megawatts. The factory construction began, and the first production line was expected to be ready soon.
The new cell lines use advanced printing technology. They can handle very thin silicon wafers automatically. This helps make sure the solar cells are of the highest quality. This is important because there has been a shortage of silicon in recent years.
Since 2007, Aleo Solar AG has also been making high-quality solar modules. They make these modules for the Spanish market at their factory near Barcelona.
New Building Rules for Solar Energy
Spain has new building laws that require solar energy use. New homes and remodeled houses must now include solar hot water systems. These systems use the sun's energy to heat water.
For all new and remodeled commercial buildings, photovoltaics must be used. This helps to reduce the amount of electricity they need from the main grid. The new laws also encourage better building insulation. This helps buildings stay warm in winter and cool in summer. They also promote using daylighting, which means designing buildings to use more natural light.
Research and Development in Solar Power
The Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) is a very important place in Spain. It is part of the Center for Energy, Environment and Technological Research (CIEMAT). The PSA is the biggest center in Europe for researching, developing, and testing solar technologies. They focus on technologies that concentrate the sun's rays.
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Images for kids
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Spain's solar potential
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The 11 megawatt PS10 solar power tower produces electricity from the sun using 624 large movable mirrors called heliostats.
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Solar Towers from left: PS10, PS20.
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Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant was the first concentrated solar power plant to provide 24‑hour power.
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Solar panels in Cariñena, Aragon
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PV solar parking lot in Madrid
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BIPV façade at MNACTEC, near Barcelona
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An isolated mountain hut with stand-alone PV system in Catalonia
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solar PV system at a sewage treatment plant in Santuari de Lluc (Mallorca)
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solar PV system at a port warehouse in Galicia
See also
In Spanish: Energía solar en España para niños
