Solana Power Station

Solana Power Station

“The Solana Generating Station is a solar power plant near Gila Bend, Arizona, about 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Phoenix, completed in 2013. When commissioned it was the largest parabolic trough plant in the world and the first U.S. solar plant with molten salt thermal energy storage. It has a total capacity of 280 megawatts (MW) gross, from two 140 MW gross (125 MW net) steam turbine generators, which is enough to power 70,000 homes while avoiding around 475,000 tons of CO2 every year.” (Wikipedia)

With its aim at producing power efficiently, the Solana Power Station is a CST-based station designed to provide six hours of energy storage. This will help it run more than a year, after it reaches capacity. 

This project “is a strong example of how the US has embraced green technologies alongside game-changing drilling techniques that allow the country to extract abundant tight oil and shale gas resources. Renewables have allowed the US‑to hedge its energy bet while remaining a prolific consumer – and producer – of traditional hydrocarbons.” (KPMG)