Israel builds world's tallest solar power tower

(Baonghean.vn) - In the middle of the Negev desert, southern Israel, engineers are working hard to build the world's tallest solar power tower - where Israel places its hopes on renewable energy sources.

The world's tallest solar power tower in Israel's Negev desert. Photo: Reuters.

According to the Israeli government and the Megalim group managing the construction project, the Ashalim tower is expected to be 240 meters high after completion at the end of 2017, higher than the Montparnasse tower in Paris (France) and the Gherkin tower in London (UK).

The entire tower is "wrapped" in stainless steel, the top of the tower looks like a giant lighthouse that can be seen from dozens of kilometers away.

From the base of the tower, solar panels cover an area of ​​300 hectares, which can receive and reflect sunlight to the top of the tower, to a position called the "boiler" which looks like a giant light bulb.

Here, the temperature will reach 600 degrees Celsius, creating steam and transferring it to the foot of the tower to produce electricity.

According to Megalim Group Director Eran Gartner, engineers developed a controller via the tower's Wifi system and used the latest technologies such as steam power, steam turbines and generators from General Electric.

In addition, engineers also designed a place to store heat during times when there is no sunlight.

According to the head of the Israel Clean Energy Association, Eitan Parnass, this heat storage device is a "big boost" in solar tower technology, paving the way for the use of this energy source on a large scale in Israel.

The Ashalim Tower is expected to provide 121 megawatts of electricity, meeting 2% of Israel's electricity needs. The project, estimated to cost up to 500 million euros (about 570 million USD), is funded by the US company General Electric, the French company Alstom and the Israeli private investment fund Noy.

Israel is currently working to produce renewable energy with the goal of meeting 10% of the country's total energy consumption by 2020.

Lan Ha

(According to AFP)