Enel builds concentrated solar plant at geothermal plant in Nevada
Enel Green Power has started the construction of a concentrating solar power plant. The plant is to add 17 MW of power generation capacity to the existing 33 MW geothermal power plant of the company at Stillwater Nevada.
The site also situates a 26 MW photovoltaic plant.
The concentrating solar power installation is planned to contribute to the same turbines of the two binary-cycle geothermal units on site. Combining the baseload power of the geothermal plant with a daytime peak power generation from the solar thermal component is rather unique.
The CSP system will heat tubes of pressurized water, so Solar Industry Mag, helping to raise the temperature of the geothermal fluid improving the yield of the plant and increase the power output.
The cost for the CSP plant is estimated at $15 million and is planned to start operation towards the end of the year.
The power from the plant will be sold to NV Energy as part of an existing 20-year PPA.
Source: CSP World, Solar Industry Mag