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Typical solar extinction year at Plataforma Solar de Almería (Spain). Application to thermoelectric solar tower plants

Author

Listed:
  • Simal, Noelia
  • Ballestrín, Jesús
  • Carra, Elena
  • Marzo, Aitor
  • Polo, Jesús
  • Barbero, Javier
  • Alonso-Montesinos, Joaquín
  • López, Gabriel

Abstract

The atmospheric extinction of solar radiation reflected by heliostats are recognized as an important factor of radiative losses in Concentrating Solar Power technologies in general and especially in thermoelectric solar tower plants. These types of plants are getting larger (≥100 MWe), and consequently the distances between the heliostats and the receiver very often exceed 1 km and radiative losses due to solar extinction on this path can represent a high percentage. The aerosols and water vapor along this route scatter and absorb solar radiation, preventing a percentage of it from reaching the solar receiver. For this reason, in the process of choosing a location for the design and construction of these plants, the radiative losses due to extinction in that place should be known in advance. Until now, Typical Meteorological Years have been available for the location chosen in the plant design stage, mainly considering Direct Normal Irradiance but not solar extinction. Unfortunately, ground-based measurement of solar extinction has never been properly considered because it was not known how to measure or estimate it adequately. The Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT, Spain) has developed a reliable solar extinction measurement system which has been recording accurate horizontal extinction values at Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) since 2017. Based on this unique in the world solar extinction database of more than five years, a Typical Solar Extinction Year has been obtained for the first time to rigorously validate extinction models that then allow knowing the extinction in any area of interest in the world for solar tower power plants and to choose the most convenient one. It has been found that the annual average extinction at PSA for the measurement distance (742 m) is 6 %, with a standard deviation of 2 % and a median of 6 %. This average annual extinction value corresponds to a horizontal extinction coefficient of (0.083 ± 0.029) km−1 and a Visual Range of 47 km (-12 km, +23 km). Frequent haze events have been observed at PSA mainly caused by Saharan dust, which can be considered one more symptom of the current increased desertification and climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Simal, Noelia & Ballestrín, Jesús & Carra, Elena & Marzo, Aitor & Polo, Jesús & Barbero, Javier & Alonso-Montesinos, Joaquín & López, Gabriel, 2024. "Typical solar extinction year at Plataforma Solar de Almería (Spain). Application to thermoelectric solar tower plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:296:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224010156
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131242
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Salmon, Aloïs & Marzo, Aitor & Polo, Jesús & Ballestrín, Jesús & Carra, Elena & Alonso-Montesinos, Joaquín, 2022. "World map of low-layer atmospheric extinction values for solar power tower plants projects," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P1), pages 876-888.
    2. Ballestrín, J. & Monterreal, R. & Carra, M.E. & Fernández-Reche, J. & Polo, J. & Enrique, R. & Rodríguez, J. & Casanova, M. & Barbero, F.J. & Alonso-Montesinos, J. & López, G. & Bosch, J.L. & Batlles,, 2018. "Solar extinction measurement system based on digital cameras. Application to solar tower plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 648-654.
    3. Polo, Jesús & Ballestrín, Jesús & Carra, Elena, 2020. "Assessment and improvement of modeling the atmospheric attenuation based on aerosol optical depth information with applicability to solar tower plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    4. Carra, Elena & Ballestrín, Jesús & Polo, Jesús & Barbero, Javier & Fernández-Reche, Jesús, 2018. "Atmospheric extinction levels of solar radiation at Plataforma Solar de Almería. Application to solar thermal electric plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 400-407.
    5. Hoseinzadeh, Siamak & Astiaso Garcia, Davide & Huang, Lizhen, 2023. "Grid-connected renewable energy systems flexibility in Norway islands’ Decarbonization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    6. Natalie Hanrieder & Abdellatif Ghennioui & Stefan Wilbert & Manajit Sengupta & Luis F. Zarzalejo, 2020. "AATTENUATION—The Atmospheric Attenuation Model for CSP Tower Plants: A Look-Up Table for Operational Implementation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Marzo, Aitor & Salmon, Aloïs & Polo, Jesús & Ballestrín, Jesús & Soto, Gonzalo & Quiñones, Gonzalo & Alonso-Montesinos, Joaquín & Carra, Elena & Ibarra, Mercedes & Cardemil, José & Fuentealba, Edward , 2021. "Solar extinction map in Chile for applications in solar power tower plants, comparison with other places from sunbelt and impact on LCOE," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 197-211.
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    9. Carra, Elena & Marzo, Aitor & Ballestrín, Jesús & Polo, Jesús & Barbero, Javier & Alonso-Montesinos, Joaquín & Monterreal, Rafael & Abreu, Edgar F.M. & Fernández-Reche, Jesús, 2020. "Atmospheric extinction levels of solar radiation using aerosol optical thickness satellite data. Validation methodology with measurement system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 1120-1132.
    10. Polo, Jesús & Alonso-Abella, Miguel & Martín-Chivelet, Nuria & Alonso-Montesinos, Joaquín & López, Gabriel & Marzo, Aitor & Nofuentes, Gustavo & Vela-Barrionuevo, Nieves, 2020. "Typical Meteorological Year methodologies applied to solar spectral irradiance for PV applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
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    2. Rodríguez, Eduardo & Cardemil, José M. & Droguett, Enrique López, 2026. "Developing temporal clustering for identifying solar radiation zones to improve separation models," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(PA).

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