Rainer Kistner, Milenio Solar S. A., Klaus Grethe, Milenio Solar S. A., Michael Geyer, Flagsol GmbH, Henner Gladen, Solar Millennium AG, Jose Alfonso Nebrera, Cobra S. A

The general scope of the AndaSol projects is the erection and operation of the first large-scale parabolic trough power plants in Europe. Each AndaSol project represents a fully dispatchable capacity of 50 MWe with a highly efficient steam power cycle, combined with a solar field consisting of concentrating parabolic trough collectors as the power source and a 6 hour thermal storage system.

The AndaSol projects are developed and promoted by the Solar Millennium Group and its Spanish subsidiaries, Milenio Solar S. A. and AndaSol-2 S. A., in close cooperation with the Spanish ACS-Cobra Group. Since the publication of the Spanish Royal Decree 2818, that regulates the purchase and compensation of renewable electricity installations, in December 1998 the Solar Millennium group has screened high potential sites in Southern Spain and has identified the Marquesado de Zenete in the Province of Granada as one of the most promising sites for the implementation of the first commercial solar thermal power plants with parabolic trough collectors in Europe. With the financial support of the German Ministry for Environment, a three-year’s solar radiation measurement campaign has been conducted since March 2000, indicating an excellent annual direct normal radiation level of approximately 2.200 kWh/m2/year.

The conceptual design of the AndaSol plant was fully developed by Solar Millennium AG and its subsidiary Flagsol GmbH from 2000 until 2002 and served as basis for the subsequent preparation of the permitting applications for the administrative authorization, land use permit, construction license, environmental impact declaration and grid access application.