Aora eyes concentrated solar power plant in Spain

The compaby will now pursue a second plant, this time in Spain. The new facility will be capable of generating low-cost, continuous clean energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Back in 2009, Aora impressed the alternative energy community when it installed its innovative tower plant, which is based on technology developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

The facility – whose unique yellow tulip design earned it the nickname "flower power" station – consists of a field of 30 tracking mirrors, situated on half an acre of land, with a 30-metre high tower standing in the middle of the complex at Kibbutz Samar, outside Eilat.

The facility, which has been hailed as "the world’s first hybrid solar thermal gas turbine power station," is capable of generating 100 kw of electric power in addition to 170 kW of thermal power.

According to the Aora, the power station can also run on other alternative fuel, including bio-gas, bio-diesel and natural gas. Aora is now eyeing a second hybrid plant, this time in Almeria in southern Spain. The second facility will also have the capacity to produce 100 kW.

"The station’s modular approach offers wide implementation options, provides customers with the ability to finance installations in stages, allows for construction in scattered locations and on sloped land and places less stress on the energy grid," an Aora statement said. The Spain facility is scheduled to become operation in early February.

www.aora-solar.com