Solar tower power plant in Germany and future perspectives of the development of the technology in Greece and Cyprus

Since the 80s power production with solar thermal power plants has been a way to substitute fossil fuels. By concentrating direct solar radiation from heliostats very high temperatures of a thermal fluid can be reached. The resulting heat is converted to mechanical energy in a steam cycle which generates electricity. High efficiencies and fast start-up are reached by using air as a heat medium, as well as using porous ceramic materials as solar receiver of the concentrated sunlight. In Germany the construction of a 1.5 MW(e) solar tower power plant began in 2008. It is operational since December 2008 and started production of electricity in the spring of 2009. In Greece and Cyprus, countries with high solar potential, the development of this competitive solar thermal technology is imperative, since it has already been implemented in other Mediterranean countries. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.