DGAP-Media: Solar Millennium AG: Egypt's first solar-thermal plant goes into operation in Kuraymat
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-Media: Solar Millennium AG / Key word(s): Energy/
Solar Millennium AG: Egypt's first solar-thermal plant goes into
operation in Kuraymat
23.12.2010 / 13:57
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Solar Millennium AG: Egypt's first solar-thermal plant goes into operation
in Kuraymat
- Solar Millennium's subsidiary Flagsol has delivered the technology for
the region's first solar-thermal plant
- Hybrid power plant with 150 MW capacity will use solar energy and
natural gas and can be operated around the clock
- Commissioning as an important indication that the DESERTEC concept can
be realized
Erlangen/Cologne/Kuraymat (Egypt), 23 December 2010 In Kuraymat, roughly
100 kilometers south of Cairo, a major solar-thermal power plant is going
into operation for the first time in Egypt. The solar field consists of
parabolic trough collectors with an overall surface area of 130,000 m²and
is part of a hybrid power plant that will use both solar power and natural
gas to generate electricity. In the scope of starting up operations, the
last few days saw the entire solar field being directed at the sun and the
heat energy being fed into the heat exchanger in the power block for the
first time.
The solar technology for this reference project has been provided by
Flagsol GmbH, a subsidiary of the Erlangen-based company Solar Millennium
AG (74.9 percent, ISIN DE0007218406) and Essen-based Ferrostaal AG (25.1
percent). Flagsol designed the solar field, delivered the control for the
solar field and was responsible for supplying important key components,
primarily the parabolic mirrors and absorber pipes. The solar field was
built and is put into operation in cooperation with the Egyptian company
Orascom Construction Industries. The Kuraymat hybrid power plant will have
an overall capacity of 150 megawatts of electricity, which will be
generated using solar power and natural gas. In an assembly hall on the
site, skilled Egyptian workers had assembled mirrors with a total surface
area of around 130,000 m². The collectors, which were six meters high, were
subsequently installed in the solar field in rows of parabolic trough
mirrors several hundreds of meters long. All 2,000 collectors in the solar
field are automatically directed towards the position of the sun.
The Kuraymat site benefits from more than 2,400 kilowatt hours of solar
irradiation per square meter and year on average. The solar irradiation,
which is channeled to parabolic-shaped mirrors, is reflected onto an
absorber pipe in the focal line of the collector. The vacuum-isolated
absorber pipes contain a circulating heat transfer fluid, which is heated
up to 300-400 degrees through the concentrated sunlight. The heat transfer
fluid is then pumped into the central power block and the thermal energy
coming from the solar field is converted into electrical energy.
'The hybrid power plant can be operated without interruption, thereby
supplying electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week,' explains Matthias
Strub, Technical Project Manager at Flagsol. 'It's the first plant of its
kind in Egypt, which makes it an important reference for future
investments.'
Oliver Blamberger, member of the Executive Board of Solar Millennium, also
underscores the importance of the project: 'With Kuraymat we've shown that
electricity from the deserts ofNorth Africa is no longer dream of the
future. Our technology is proof that the DESERTEC idea can be realized, as
can the successful European-African cooperation in the field of renewable
energy.'
The hybrid power plant in Kuraymat was tendered internationally and
commissioned by the Egyptian energy authority NREA. The overall cost came
out to more than EUR 250 million, 30 percent of which went to realizing the
solar field. Given the fact that the project can serve as an example for
future projects, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has provided a grant
of around US$ 50 million for the solar field. The generation of electricity
and the feed-in into the Egyptian grid are to start at the beginning of
2011, as soon as the conventional part with the turbine has also gone into
operation. After the start of operations, Flagsol and Orascom Construction
Industries will operate the solar part of the power plant for two years
before ultimately handing it over to the owner.
About Solar Millennium AG:
Solar Millennium AG, Erlangen, is an international company in the renewable
energy sector, with its main focus on solar-thermal power plants. Together
with its subsidiaries and associates, the Company specializes in parabolic
trough power plants and has managed to take a globally leading position in
this field. Solar Millennium strives to further extend its expertise in the
area of solar-thermal power plants with the aim of achieving and securing
sustainable technology leadership. As such, the Company covers all
important business sectors along the value chain for solar-thermal power
plants: from project development and financing to the technology and the
turnkey construction and operation of power plants. In Spain, Solar
Millennium developed Europe's first parabolic trough power plants and
realized these together with partners. Additional projects are planned
around the world with an overall capacity of more than 2,000 megawatts:
here the current regional focus is on Spain, the US, India, China, the
Middle East and North Africa. More information is available at
www.SolarMillennium.com
About solar-thermal power plant technology:
Solar-thermal power plants generate electricity by converting solar
radiation into heat energy. In a parabolic trough power plant,
trough-shaped mirrors concentrate the incidental radiation onto a pipe in
the focal line of the collector. Its absorption heats a fluid heat medium
in the pipe, generating steam in the power block through a heat exchanger.
As in conventional power plants, the steam powers a turbine to generate
electricity. By integrating thermal storage, electricity can be supplied on
demand, even after sunset.
For additional information:
Solar Millennium AG
Dipl.-Ing. Sven Moormann (Corporate Communications)
Tel.: +49 (0)9131 9409-0
Email: presse(at)SolarMillennium.de
Web: www.SolarMillennium.de
This press release constitutes neither an offer to sell nor the
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of Solar Millennium AG. The
press release shall not form the basis for investment decisions regarding
securities of the company. Any such investment decision of a prospective
investor shall be based solely on such prospective investor's own
investigations and assessments.
This release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are not
a description of past facts, but rather relate to expectations and opinions
of Solar Millennium AG. These statements are based on current plans,
assessments and forecasts of the company. Investors should not rely on
these statements. Forward-looking statements must be understood in the
context of the circumstances existing at the time when they were made. The
company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements in
this release based on new information or future events. Forward-looking
statements always involve risks and uncertainty. Due to a multitude of
factors, actual events and actual developments may differ significantly
from the forward-looking statements contained herein. This press release
was originally prepared in German. The translation of this release or parts
thereof is considered as a service for journalists, analysts and investors
who are not able to understand German. Only the German version is legally
binding.
End of Media Release
23.12.2010 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de
---------------------------------------------------------------------
107550 23.12.2010
Datum: 23.12.2010 - 13:57 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 32929
Anzahl Zeichen: 0
contact information:
Kategorie:
Business News
Diese Pressemitteilung wurde bisher 439 mal aufgerufen.
Die Pressemitteilung mit dem Titel:
"DGAP-Media: Solar Millennium AG: Egypt's first solar-thermal plant goes into operation in Kuraymat"
steht unter der journalistisch-redaktionellen Verantwortung von
Solar Millennium AG (Nachricht senden)
Beachten Sie bitte die weiteren Informationen zum Haftungsauschluß (gemäß TMG - TeleMedianGesetz) und dem Datenschutz (gemäß der DSGVO).
