Solar Energy in Spain

 



Write brief answers to the following questions.

1. How does the opening paragraph of the passage show that its subject is related to the general theme of unit?
A: - The opening paragraph itself suggests the tremendous contribution of Spain country in the production of solar energy. It makes us clear that Spain has laid a platform for the development of solar energy.

        Spain is forging ahead with plans to build concentrating solar power plants with which they can establish their country and their companies as world leaders in the sphere of solar energy. The paragraph states that Spain has already installed numerous photovoltaic systems and researchers of Spain have also been continuously exploring new ways to improve solar power.

2. Although it seems far from that light are coming out of high tower in a Solucar solar plant and falling on tilted mirrors, what is the truth of the situation?
A: - In the structure of solar plant, in fact, the mirrors which are positioned in upturned manner, actually trace the sun and radiate its energy onto the high tower square sheet that is arranged on the top of the solar plant.

       While, when you travel from the road to the Solucar solar plant in the outskirts of Seville city, it seems to us that glowing white rays are coming out of the high tower and are falling on the mirrors. But it is not true as appearances are deceptive, in fact.

3. Why does Spain figure among the top countries in the world as well as Europe that are using solar power?

A: - The Spanish companies and researchers have been continually exploring new methods in solar energy production like Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), a type of solar thermal power. They have been installing number of photovoltaic systems, investing huge amount on them. Expanses of mirrors are also being assembled all around the country. Due to these measures and efforts, Spain has figured among the top countries in the world as well as in Europe in its use of solar power.

4. How does solar thermal power work differently from photovoltaic panels?
A: - During the production of solar energy, solar thermal power or Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) works differently from photovoltaic panels.

Unlike photovoltaic panels,  which control the movement of electrons between layers of a solar cell when the sun strikes the material, solar thermal power works by utilizing the heat of the sun. While concentrating solar power is very expensive. CSP has until recently cost nearly twice as much as traditional natural gas or coal power plants and it is effective only on a large scale.

 

5. What are the two kinds of technologies currently used to generate solar power on a large scale? Which one is use in the Solucar plant?
A: - The most common technologies that are currently used to generate solar power are Andasol 1 and the tower technology. Andasol 1 is based on a series of parabolic troughs i.e. huge curved mirrors about 18 feet wide that collects the sun’s energy and focuses it on a receiver pipe in the middle. Oil streams (flows) through that pipe along a long loop of troughs. The mirrors slowly   track the sun from east to west during day time hours and reach about 400° C. The heat transferred oil then travels to a steam generator, where the heat is transferred to water, immediately turning the water into stream. That steam powers a turbine.

      The tower technology works also on the same principle as the troughs- the sun's heat but uses curved mirrors called heliostats. The heliostats direct the sun's light to a central receiver at the top of the tower.

 

6. What provision has been made in the Solucar plant for rainy or cloudy weather?
A: - Besides huge size of mirrors, the Solucar plant is also supported by a small amount of natural gas, used when a stretch of rainy or overcast weather conditions, which prevent the plant's entire power production and the stored energy cannot stretch far enough to compensate.