Solar power drainage trough

Do solar farms need a drainage strategy?

All solar farm applications should provide a drainage strategy as well as a land management strategy as these are crucial when assessing the surface water flood risk associated with these sites.

When were trough-based solar power plants built?

Table 7.1. Details of demonstration trough-based solar thermal power plants built during the early 1980s.

What is a trough system?

These systems provide large-scale power generation from the sun and, because of their proven performance, are gaining acceptance in the energy marketplace. Trough systems predominate among todayscommercial solar power plants.

How many trough power plants are there?

All together,nine trough power plants, also called SolarEnergy Generating Systems (SEGS), were builtin the 1980s in the Mojave Desert near Barstow,California. These plants have a combinedcapacity of 354 megawatts (MW) and todaygenerate enough electricity to meet the needsof approximately 500,000 people.

How much electricity does a trough system produce?

These plants have a combinedcapacity of 354 megawatts (MW) and todaygenerate enough electricity to meet the needsof approximately 500,000 people. Trough systems convert the heat from thesun into electricity.

How does a solar power plant work?

A synthetic heat transfer oil is pumped through the trough array and heated by concentrated solar radiation as it circulates through the receiver pipes. This oil is then used to produce steam in heat exchangers before being circulated back to the solar field. The steam is used in a conventional steam turbine-based electricity generating plant.