Chile inaugurated Latin America's first solar thermal plant this week in the Atacama Desert. The complex has been nicknamed Cerro Dominador and will be an important tool in helping the country achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as set out in the Paris Agreement. The facility was built on an area of over 700 hectares, where around 10,6 mirrors were installed around a 250-meter-high tower, which houses a receiver that reflects the sun's rays.
The absorbed heat will be used to generate electricity – up to 110 MW – through a steam turbine. Combined with an adjacent photovoltaic plant, the complex will be capable of producing up to 210 MW of renewable energy. An interesting feature of the project is the fact that the energy storage can be done for up to 17 hours, which allows the system to continue operating without direct sunlight without interruption.
With the inauguration of the space, the Chilean Government's expectation is to prevent more than 600 thousand tons of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere every year. The volume is equivalent to the pollution emitted by 300 cars in a single year.
Construction of the Cerro Dominador project began in 2014 and the Chilean government's idea is to continue investing in clean energy projects throughout the country, such as initiatives aimed at preserving forests and electrifying public transport, replacing carbon-based energy. for green alternatives.
An answer
Good morning, I would like to know about thermosolar energy. I have an area of 20.000 m2 in São Mateus ES and I would like to deploy this energy to sell to my neighbors on the Othovarino Duarte Santos highway. Is it possible to implement this project? Thanks
Valdir Viana Nunes