歐洲第一座商業太陽能發電廠3月30日在西班牙揭幕，該電廠位於塞維亞（Seville）南方25公里一座陽光充足的城市桑路卡拉馬尤（Sanlucar la Mayor），從2001年7月到2005年12月31日，費時4年多建造完成。
這座電廠的建置計畫稱為「PS10」計畫，應用了624個可移動的大型「日光反射器」鏡面，每個鏡面大小為120平方公尺，將陽光反射集中到115公尺高的集光塔，塔中有太陽能接收器與一組蒸氣渦輪，利用太陽能驅動輪機即可發電。
PS10是第一個將不同太陽能電廠建置於同一地區的計畫，並結合不同科技進行發電，預計至2013年，將生產300百萬瓦（MW）的電能。
PS10是世界第一座使用電塔科技的太陽熱能（solar thermoelectric）發電廠，且是為了商業使用而建造的；同地區的另一座塞維亞太陽光電廠（Sevilla PV），則是歐洲最大的「低集中型光電系統」光電廠。
整個桑路卡拉馬尤發電平台將在2013年完工，應用太陽能及其他發電技術，將生產足夠供應18萬戶家庭用電的需要，幾乎等同於塞維利亞所需的電量。
歐盟執委會能源執委皮耶巴爾格斯（Andris Piebalgs）說：「這些新技術讓追求企業競爭力、創造工作機會和成長的歐洲，有了和氣候變遷對抗並增加能源安全的新選擇」。
集中型的太陽能發電廠除了占用土地之外，少有對環境的影響，因為這不會導致環境污染物或產生溫室氣體。利用集中型太陽能發電廠提供較永續能源形式的潛力，仍有開發利用的空間。
Europe's first commercial concentrating solar power plant was inaugurated today near the sunny southern Spanish city of Seville. The power plant in the municipality of Sanlucar la Mayor, 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Seville, took more than four years to build, from July 1, 2001 to December 31, 2005.
Known as PS10, the project produces electricity with 624 large movable mirrors called heliostats. Each of the mirrors has a surface measuring 120 square meters (1,290 square feet) that concentrates the Sun's rays to the top of a 115 meter (377 foot) high tower where a solar receiver and a steam turbine are located. The turbine drives a generator, producing electricity.
PS10 is the first of a set of solar electric power generation plants to be constructed in the same area that will total more than 300 MW by 2013. Power generation will be accomplished using a variety of technologies.
The first two power plants to be brought into operation at Sanlucar la Mayor are the PS10, the world's first tower technology solar thermoelectric power plant constructed for commercial operation, and Sevilla PV, the largest low concentration system photovoltaic plant in Europe.
When completed in the year 2013, the Sanlucar la Mayor Solar Platform will produce enough energy to cover the consumption of some 180,000 homes, equivalent to the needs of the city of Seville, using the concentrating solar power plant and other technologies.
"These new technologies give Europe a new option to combat climate change and increase energy security while strengthening the competitiveness of the European industrial sector and creating jobs and growth," said Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.
Concentrating solar power plants have few environmental impacts other than land use. They produce no environmental contaminants or greenhouse gases. The potential contribution of concentrating solar power plants to a more sustainable energy system has still to be fully exploited.
全文及圖片詳見 ENS報導
