Plataforma Solar de Almería

The Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) is a centre for the exploration of the solar energy, situated in the Province of Almería, Spain in the Tabernas Desert. The Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) is a centre for the exploration of the solar energy, situated in the Province of Almería, Spain in the Tabernas Desert. The PSA was founded in the early 1980s and run by the Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), a public research organization under the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. PSA activities are integrated in the CIEMAT organization as an R&D division of the Department of Energy. Over 20,000 m² of mirrors are installed on a 400,000 m2 (99-acre) site. There are several techniques tested under practical conditions, mainly solar thermal power plants. Hydrosol-2 is a solar power tower and a set of heliostats to collect the solar thermal energy. 1975 The International Energy Agency (IEA) decided to design and build a facility in one location to validate the solar thermal technology potential for the production of electricity.1976 A work group in the IEA proposed the development of two 500 kW thermosolar power plants (CRS y DCS) within the SSPS project.1977 Spain through the Centro de Estudios de la Energía (CEE) started a study on a solar power plant of tower type of 1,2 MWe (Project CESA 1)1978 The work of Basic Engineering for project CESA-1 started and it was decided to install the solar project in Tabernas, Almería.1979 Begin of civil work for the construction of PSA1981 Official inauguration of CRS and DCS plants of the Project SSPS1983 Inauguration of the CESA-1 plant1985 SSPS project finished and the activity undertaken here was replaced by SolarPACES activity that remains ongoing today1986 Unification of the various facilities in the PSA, which was taken over by the Institute of Renewable Energy of CIEMAT.1987 Signing of the Hispano-German Agreement with DLR for the co management of PSA1990 Recognition as 'Large European Science Facility'1998 The management of PSA is no longer based on the Hispano-German Agreement and the responsibility of the PSA is entirely Spanish2005 The PSA is fully integrated into the CIEMAT structure, being a division of the Department of Energy