Spain now the world’s largest producer of solar thermal energy

Spain has something more to celebrate besides winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The country has become the world’s largest producer of solar thermal energy, thanks to the La Florida solar farm in Alvarado. The country also proudly plays home to the world’s biggest solar power plant. Using a thermal system with molten salt batteries and a parabolic trough technology, this 50 MW solar farm covers an area of a massive 550,000 m2 that holds 11 plants in operation and 20 under construction. This one sure juices the sun with all it’s got to power up Spanish homes. Currently, Spain already has 432 MW of installed solar thermal power, while the U.S. produces just 422 MW. In a year, Spain will have added 600MW of capacity and by 2013, around 2500MW of solar thermal power.

Currently, investments top EUR 2.5 billion and will soar across EUR 15 billion by 2013, having 60 solar thermal power plants operating in Spain. The country is going greener by the day, with all that renewable energy use!
[energymatters]