Modern computer based simulation models have been developed and adapted to analyze the performance of solar-hybrid gas turbines in commercial system size [4]. Software tools have been developed for combined heliostat field and receiver layout. Some very interesting results have been presented by modeling the power plant with TRNSYS using the STEC model library for annual performance simulation [5]. This model was able to estimate the annual electric output for various design parameters (solar field size, storage size, power block efficiency) and different simple operation strategies. For the whole system of a solar tower power plant consisting of a solar and a conventional part a new model is necessary to be developed for the description of each component of the power block.

The implementation of the solar tower power plant model has been done in the MATLAB/Simulink environment.

MATLAB is a high-performance language for technical computing. It integrates computation, visualization, and programming in an easy-to-use environment where problems and solutions are expressed in familiar mathematical notation.

Simulink is a toolbox in MATLAB that provides an environment for modelling, simulating, and analyzing dynamic systems. It supports linear and nonlinear systems, modelled in continuous time or a sampled time. The implementation of systems can also be multi-rate, i. e. have different parts that are sampled or updated at different rates [6].