Renovalia Energy has announced the signing of an agreement with Iberdrola Renovables to evaluate "certain cutting-edge technology for second-generation solar thermal electric plants”. Under the agreement signed by both companies, Renovalia will install several units of this new equipment at the solar thermal electric plant operated by Iberdrola Renovables in Puertollano (Ciudad Real) "to assess their performance." Subsequently, and depending on the results, Renovalia and Iberdrola Renovables could negotiate incorporating this technology into new plants developed by the latter in the future.
According to the statement released recently by Renovalia, "part of this second-generation solar thermal electric technology basically consists of a parabolic mirror and an external combustion generator”. The company explains that unlike first-generation technologies, this system does not require water or gas, "is quiet and small and does not require large tracts of flat land for installation. Therefore, it is quick to construct (six months versus the average of two years for other technologies) highly efficient (up to 24% more efficient), durable and low maintenance".
Renovalia Energy describes itself as "a company specialising in the development, engineering, construction, operation and sale of electricity from renewable energy sources”. The company, which was founded more than ten years ago, claims to be vertically integrated, "which can mitigate the risk of depending on external suppliers”, and is involved in wind, PV, solar thermal electric and mini hydropower projects across eight European countries and in North America.
The company reveals that it has "a current portfolio of 2,400 MW, which is diversified both geographically and technologically”, and a total attributable capacity of 552.5 MW in operation and under construction (distributed across ten wind farms, four photovoltaic arrays, a mini hydropower station and a solar thermal electric plant)”.
According to Renovalia’s press release, which cites studies performed by the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association (Estela) and Greenpeace, "the solar thermal electric sector will generate €20.8 billion and over 90,000 jobs worldwide by 2015, and could supply a quarter of global energy demand by 2050".
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