The Solar Platform of Almería (PSA) is the largest concentrating solar technology research, development and test centre in Europe, situated in the Province of Almería, Spain in Tabernas.

History

The PSA was founded in 1981 by IEA – International Energy Agency. But since 1987 it belongs to Spain through the Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), a public research organization of the Government of Spain. PSA is European Large Installation Facility since 1990 and belongs to the selected group (created in 2014) of Spanish singular scientific and technical infrastructures (ICTS in its Spanish acronym).

Testing

Over 20,000 m2 of mirrors are installed on a 400000 m2 site. There are several techniques tested under practical conditions, mainly solar thermal power plants. Hydrosol-2 is a solar power tower and a set of heliostats to collect the solar thermal energy.

About

Milestones

1975 The International Energy Agency (IEA) decided to design and build a facility in one location to validate the solar thermal technology potential for the production of electricity. 1976 A work group in the IEA proposed the development of two 500 kW thermosolar power plants (CRS y DCS) within the SSPS project. 1977 Spain through the Centro de Estudios de la Energía (CEE) started a study on a solar power plant of tower type of 1,2 MWe (Project CESA 1) 1978 The work of Basic Engineering for project CESA-1 started and it was decided to install the solar project in Tabernas, Almería. 1979 Begin of civil work for the construction of PSA 1981 Official inauguration of CRS and DCS plants of the Project SSPS 1983 Inauguration of the CESA-1 plant 1985 SSPS project finished and the activity undertaken here was replaced by SolarPACES activity that remains ongoing today 1986 Unification of the various facilities in the PSA, which was taken over by the Institute of Renewable Energy of CIEMAT. 1987 Signing of the Hispano-German Agreement with DLR for the co management of PSA 1990 Recognition as 'Large European Science Facility' 1998 The management of PSA is no longer based on the Hispano-German Agreement and the responsibility of the PSA is entirely Spanish 2005 The PSA is fully integrated into the CIEMAT structure, being a division of the Department of Energy

Research

Research activity at the Plataforma Solar de Almería has been structured around three R&D Units:

Test Facilities