First hybrid solar thermal plant by AORA

AORA is developing the world’s first hybrid solar thermal plant. It will have enough capacity to power 70 homes throughout the day and night. It will have 30 heliostats that will track and reflect the sun towards the turbine tower, where the concentrated sunlight heats compressed air, which then drives a gas turbine. Through this process space is improved and energy is made more efficient. The company is also hoping to have plans in Jordan, where such a facility will provide great relief. They used solar thermal instead of the typical photovoltaic cells because the company feels that ‘solar thermal is a great technology for sunny areas, while PV can be more efficient in cloudy climates with indirect sunlight. When PV panels heat up, they lose efficiency, but in places like England, Japan or Germany, they [flourish]’.

The system also guarantees electricity and can run on any alternative fuel, on diesel, crude oil, natural gas or even green fuels like biofuel and biodiesel. Now we only wait for more governments to roll up their sleeves and follow suit.
[Reuters]