The world’s first plant combining biomass and solar thermal energy begins supplying power in Catalonia

Les Borges Blanques (ACN).- A town in western Catalonia, Les Borges Blanques, hosts the world’s first plant combining biomass and solar thermal energy, which has started to operate on Thursday. This pioneering hybrid power plant has started to supply energy to the electricity network today, after the testing phase to synchronise the turbine ended in November. Once the plant reaches its maximum production capacity, it will generate 22.5 megawatts of power, enough to supply electricity to 27,000 houses. The plant occupies 96 hectares and has 2,688 solar panels. In just 20 months, Abantia and Comse Emte have built the plant and put it to work. The project represents a €153 million investment. Using this renewable energy plant will prevent 24,500 tonnes of CO₂ from being released into the atmosphere, a quantity equivalent to the CO₂ produced by 100,000 cars in one year. The hybrid system combining solar thermal and biomass enables the production of energy 24 hours a day, increasing the production capacity of the plant.

This innovative project started in March 2011 and it has been developed by the engineering and construction teams of Abantia and Comsa Emte, with the cooperation of local government and equipment suppliers. MAN produced the turbines, INTEC the boilers and Siemens the solar field components. The plant has 2,688 parabolic solar panels, measuring 5.5 metres in diameter and 12 metres in length. The plant occupies 96 hectares.

Abantia and Comsa Emte have developed a hybrid system that enables the plant to work at night and therefore produce energy 24 hours a day. During the day, the parabolic through collectors harness the sunlight and heat the pipes that produce steam, which moves the turbines thus generating electricity. During the night, the biomass fuels the boilers that generate the steam that moves the same turbines. Most of the biomass comes from forests, but it is also complemented with agricultural waste.