Development Of Solar Tower Program In The United States

With strong governmental support and broad based public approval, the United States solar energy program has expanded rapidly in the last few years. In particular, we have traced the history and development of the solar tower from an idea in 1969 through first federal funding in 1973, to a program to initiate pilot plant construction in 1976. About 3,000 heliostats will reflect sunlight onto a central receiver, in which 500°C steam will be generated to drive a turbo-generator. With this 10 MWe plant scheduled to feed electricity into a utility grid in 1980, a 50-100 MWe demonstration plant is proposed to be on line in 1985.