PS10 solar power plant

The 11 megawatt (MW) solar power tower produces electricity with 624 large movable mirrors called heliostats.

[5] PS10 is the first of a set of solar power generation plants to be constructed in the same area that will total more than 300 MW by 2013.

[6] The PS10 solar power tower stores heat in tanks as superheated and pressurized water at 50 bar and 285 °C.

The water evaporates and flashes back to steam, releasing energy and reducing the pressure.

Another possibility is to use a phase-change material as thermal storage where latent heat is used to store energy.

Solar Towers from left: PS10, PS20 .
The first three units of Solnova. I (right) III (left, front) and IV (left rear). The two towers in the background are the PS10 and PS20 solar power stations.