Plataforma Solar de Almeria - PSA, A laboratory of CIEMAT, Spain

Plataforma Solar de Almeria - PSA A laboratory of CIEMAT, Spain (Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology)
PSA is the Spanish laboratory for research on industrial applications of concentrated solar energy.
The objectives that inspire its research activity are the following: To contribute to a sustainable, clean, world energy supply. To contribute to conservation of European energy resources, climate and environment. To promote market introduction of solar thermal technologies and derived solar chemical processes. To contribute to the development of a competitive Spanish solar thermal export industry. To reinforce the cooperation between business and scientific institutions. To foster cost-reducing of the solar thermal technologies. To assist industry in identifying market opportunities related to solar thermal technologies. The scientific and technical commitments of the PSA and their associated workload are undertaken by a team of 93 persons who make up the permanent staff that lends its services to the Plataforma Solar. Moreover, in addition to this permanent staff, there is a considerable influx of trainees and visiting researchers who are managed by the Director's Office.	PSA aerial view Detoxification loop

At present, the main test facilities available at the PSA are :
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CESA-1 and SSPS-CRS central receiver systems, 7 and 2.7 MWth respectively
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SSPS-OCS 1.2-MWth parabolic -trough collector system, with associated thermal storage system and water desalination plant
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DISS 1.8-MWth test loop, an excellent experimental system for two-phase flow research and direct steam generation for electricity production
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HTF test loop for new parabolic trough collector components
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DISTAL dish/Stirling facility, 6 units.
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A 60-kWth solar furnace for thermal materials treatments.
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DETOX Loop: A solar chemistry facility
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Laboratory for Energy Testing of Building Components (LECE)
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Meteorological station.

CESA-1 central receiver facility
(see SOLLAB highlight)

SOLLAB Highlight 


The CESA-1 central 
receiver system is a very 
flexible facility operated for 
testing subsystems and 
components such as 
heliostats, solar receivers, 
thermal storage, solarized 
gas turbines, control 
systems and concentrated 
solar radiation high flux 
me a s u r e me n t 
instrumentation . 


In figure: 80 m-high tower 
plus 300 heliostats which 
deliver up to 7 MWth to the 
receiver, maximum flux 
density 2 MW.m-2 .

NEWS and EVENTS

June 15 – 17, 2017
13th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies will be organised in Berlin by the DLR, Germany

June 6 – 8, 2016
12th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies will be organised by the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA), Spain

June 23 – 25, 2014
10th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at PROMES Odeillo, France

March 2014
New position for a research engineer, experienced in energy systems at CNRS/PROMES

May 13 – 14, 2013
9th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at Hornberg Castle in the Black Forest, Germany

June 25-26, 2012
8th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium on Solar Concentrating Technologies at Almería, Spain

December 19, 2011
New Position for a PhD student opened at the Paul Scherrer Institute

March 24-25, 2011
2^nd SFERA Winter School at ETH Zürich, Switzerland

March 21-23, 2011
7^th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium in Grindelwald, Switzerland

June7-9, 2010
6^th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PROMES Odeillo, France

September 2009
New Post-doctoral position opened at PROMES, 2009-2010

June 22-24, 2009
5^th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, DLR Cologne, Germany

September 10-12, 2008
4^th SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PSA, Spain

September 11-12-13, 2007
3^rd SOLLAB Doctoral Colloquium, PROMES-Odeillo, France

14-15 Apr. 2006
1^st Workshop SOLLAB Flux and Temperature Measurement Group - Odeillo

Sollab - Alliance of european Laboratories on solar thermal concentrating systems