Science Illustrated

Australia Builds World’s Largest Solar Plant

A 227-m-high tower surrounded by huge mirrors is to generate power for 5 % of South Australia in 2020.

-

CLIMATE North of Port Augusta, the SA government is building the world’s largest solar tower. Named Aurora, it consists of thousands of mirrors located in a 10 km2 area around a tower that is to capture the sunlight. The energy is stored in liquid salt.

When the sun sets, the plant continues to generate power. The heated salt gives off water vapour, which is used to power a turbine, that generates electricit­y. The salt can store the energy for up to eight hours.

Aurora has a capacity of 135 megawatts, but could reach 150 at night, when the plant has stored large quantities of energy.

Once Aurora is completed in 2020, 90,000 homes can use hair dryers, electric kettles, and washing machines around the clock without emitting any CO2.

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? Huge mirrors rotate two axes to be able to reflect the sunlight towards the tower.
Huge mirrors rotate two axes to be able to reflect the sunlight towards the tower.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia