L. J. Yebra1, M. Berenguel2, M. Romero1, D. Martinez1, A. Valverde1

1L. J. Yebra, M. Romero, D. Martinez, A. Valverde, CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almerla,
Apdo. 22, E 04200, Tabernas, Almerla, Spain, Phone: +34 950 387923, Fax: +34 950
365015, E-mail: luis. yebra@psa. es

2M. Berenguel, Universidad de Almerla. Departamento de Lenguajes y Computacion. Area de
Ingenierla de Sistemas y Automatica, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Canada, E 04120, Almerla,
Spain, Phone: +34 950 015683, Fax: +34 950 015129, E-mail: beren@ual. es

This work overviews some of the main activities and research lines that are being carried out within the scope of the specific collaboration agreement between the Plataforma Solar de Almerla-CIEMAT (PSA-CIEMAT) and the Automatic Control, Electronics and Robotics research group of the Universidad de Almerla (TEP197) titled “Development of control systems and tools for thermosolar plants" and the projects financed by the MCYT DPI2001-2380-C02-02 and DPI2002-04375-C03. The research is directed by the need of improving the efficiency of the process through which the energy provided by the sun is totally or partially used as energy source, as far as diminishing the costs associated to the operation and maintenance of the installations that use this energy source. The final objective is to develop different automatic control systems and techniques aimed at improving the competitiveness of solar plants. The paper summarizes different objectives and automatic control approaches that are being implemented in different facilities at the PSA-CIEMAT: central receiver systems and solar furnace. For each one of these facilities, a systematic procedure is being followed, composed of several steps: (i) development of dynamic models using the newest modeling technologies (both for simulation and control purposes), (ii) development of fully automated data acquisition and control systems including software tools facilitating the analysis of data and the application of knowledge to the controlled plants and (iii) synthesis of advanced controllers using techniques successfully used in the process industry and development of new and optimized control algorithms for solar plants. These aspects are summarized in this work.