Europe’s first solar thermal power station has been opened outside Seville in Spain. Consisting of a 40 storey concrete tower surrounded by 600 huge mirrors, the sun is reflected from the mirrors to a receiver in the top of the tower.
Looking at the structure, it seems to glow, generating 11 megawatts with zero greenhouse emissions. The heat turns water into steam to power turbines. Yet I’ve heard the same old skeptic’s moan about solar power.
‘It only works in sunny countries, you know.’
No, never! Is that right? Good grief, I’d never have thought of that. So let them work in their thousands in hot, sunny countries. Believe it or not, it could well help to reduce global warming all the same.
Then all we need to do is stop saying it’s impossible and work on proper wind and wave alternatives in colder climes.
© Anthony North, May 2007
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