Adaptation and Modification of Gas Turbines for Solar Energy Applications

Abstract

Adapting a gas turbine to high-temperature solar receivers and solar tower technology constitutes real progress towards commercial solar power utilization with high efficiency combined cycle power system. Solar gas turbine systems can also be adapted to hybrid solar/fossil fuel operation, thanks to its high efficiency conversion, relatively small solar field, and quick response to load fluctuations, low CO2 emissions, easy start, and more effective equipment utilization. ORMAT initiated adaptation and modification of gas turbines for solar energy applications in the early 1990s in cooperation with the Weizmann Institute of Science and later with the Boeing Corporation, with the support of the United States Israel Science and Technology Foundation (USISTF). Ultimately, the concept reached its successful realization (2001–2004) in the solar tower Plataforma Solar de Almeria (Spain) which has three solar receivers and a receiving system designed and supplied by the German Aerospace Center DLR.