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Spanish leadership in CSP is explained in a book

Spanish scientists have on the Plataforma Solar de Almería book-documentary that tells the success story of the R & D in solar thermal technology

Tabernas (Almería), June 17, 2011. Solar thermal electricity, “Yesterday’s utopia, is now a reality,” and the title of the book’s foreword. Three decades ago, few believed it was possible to create an industry to produce electricity from solar concentration, today Spain is a world leader in this technology. This process is a success story starring Spanish researchers has been collected in a book and documentary writing.

The book “The solar thermal electricity. Success Story of the investigation “has been presented as part of the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA), a research center where they have gestated these technological advances have placed Spain as a global standard. The purpose of the work is to recover the memory of the R & D that has taken place in our country since 1977, thanks to continued effort and, often, counter to a group of people from different areas of government , companies and universities.

The book includes testimonies of many of these pioneers are reminded that they are no longer with us and it puts names to almost all of them. Is used to include 12 chapters of technical and business input is involved in the process from those initial moments. Includes a documentary video with personal testimonials and an overview visual facilities PSA a brief description of them. In short, thanks to this book-documentary can understand why our country, and particularly Andalusia, is a leader in the commercial development of solar thermal power plants.

The presentation was chaired by the Secretary General of Universities, Research and Technology of the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Science Government of Andalusia, Francisco Andrew Bunting, and was attended by Cayetano Lopez, director of the Center for Energy Research , Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), which reports directly to the PSA, the Mayor of Tabernas, Maria de las Nieves Jaén, the current director of the PSA, Diego Martinez, Luis Crespo, secretary general of the Spanish Association of Solar Industry Thermoelectric as representative of the “historic” pioneer in research and development of solar thermal energy.

Cayetano Lopez said as in the studies done indicated Spain as the epicenter of the current development of solar thermal technology, something very significant, because “renewables will play an important role in changing the energy paradigm, and in renewables (…) the sun is by far the most abundant and you have to play a strategic role (…) Our country, he added, has become a key driver in one of the technologies. ” This situation is due to a confluence of factors, including the commitment of the authorities for the development of renewable energy, the existence of companies who have risked and all the knowledge and research conducted over the years. Nevertheless, said it’s likely to miss the epicenter for other countries with more resources and more industrial capacity, “but it’s important, he said, the current leadership so that our companies are well placed to face the future. “
Valeriano Ruiz, coordinator of the work, gave a brief summary of what we find in its pages and in the video annex, which he himself says “I have been a journalist,” noting the willingness of all those who gave their testimonies and memories to capture it in the book.

For Luis Crespo, it is remarkable how Spain was launched to accommodate the project of the International Energy Agency also aspired to other countries and how they embarked on their own project, the CESA-1 with people – as reflected in a of testimonies “insultingly young.” He did not want to miss this opportunity to remember those who are no longer among us, as Richard Carmona, among others.

To the Mayor of Tabernas, newly elected as such, was his first public event. She recalled how she worked on this platform in which he saw those young researchers grow, and show their full support from the institution he represents to continue to expand projects like this.

The director of the Platform, Diego Martinez, recalled how the idea for the book and had in mind for several years, but by circumstances or other failed to carry out and thanked Valeriano Ruiz cogiera this witness and made reality. He also recalled how Valeriano Ruiz ironically “the persecuted” so that they surrender their contributions on time and stressed the historical, technical and endearing that has managed to give the work.

Francisco Andres Bunting, who closed the ceremony, he emphasized the will of those pioneers in this research and the role it has played throughout the process Andalusia, and is still playing with the support of the new EU-project facilities SOLARIS, which shall be annexed to the PSA. He noted they will continue working to create synergies between government and companies to realize projects like this that are present from the future, so that within 20 years, recognizes that today are continuing the investigation.

FROM PAST TO FUTURE OF R & D THERMAL

This book was intended to recover the memory of the R & D has taken place in Spain since 1977 by many people who used hard work and dedication to the task.

In the process continued until today have been involved public administrations, companies, universities, and had its main physical representation in the Plataforma Solar de Almería. The book incorporates testimonies of many of the players are reminded that they are no longer with us and it puts names to almost all of them. Is used to include 12 chapters of technical and business input is involved in the process from those initial moments.
The book is accompanied by a video documentary that includes interviews with many of the protagonists and gives an overview of visual facilities Plataforma Solar de Almeria with a brief description of them. In short, thanks to this book-documentary can understand why our country and, specifically, Andalusia, is featured in the situation we are now in the commercial development of solar thermal power plants. The subtitle of the success story of the investigation could have been finalized with a specific reference to Spain and that is the reality but it is also true that helped many nationals of other countries, especially Germany, but it seemed smarter to leave it unspecified and this predominantly Spanish success story with the participation of other countries in this process R & D.

In short, we believe it’s worth doing justice to the protagonists of the story that made decisions that have such a good result today.
But the story continues, the PSA, supported now by CTAER, remain in the gap and open up new perspectives.