As it benefits from the best levels of solar irradiation and a legislatively guaranteed feed-in tariff, Spain has taken a leading position in the solar thermal power plant market in Europe in recent years. In Andalusia, southern Spain, we realised the largest complex of solar thermal power plants worldwide together with our partners.

The latest of the three power plants, Andasol 3 came online in September 2011. It now supplies 200,000 people reliably with sustainable and environmentally friendly electricity. The Andasol 3 plant, which was projected by Ferrostaal, stands out due to its two large salt tanks, each 15 metres high with a diameter of 40 metres, enabling thermal storage. The thermal storage tank can hold 30,000 tonnes of a special mixture of salts and allows a continued base-load operation and reliable electricity generation of the plant for seven and a half hours after sunset or during cloud cover.

Andasol 3: A milestone for Europe