Solugas – Operation Experience of the First Solar Hybrid Gas Turbine System at MW Scale

CSP hybridisation is one of the most promising concepts for cost reduction and dispatchability, and also one of the most competitive with conventional electricity generation systems. The Solugas project, first solar hybrid system topped with a gas turbine at megawatt scale, was commissioned in May 2012 in Abengoa's Solúcar Platform near Seville. Numerous operation objectives of the project have been tackled since the operation started and the project is running for several hundred solar operation hours already, yet for the technology assessment the stable operation and evaluation of long time behaviour are crucial. In 2012 the maximum receiver outlet temperature objective was achieved: the temperature of the heat transfer medium -pressurised air- has been heated up to 800 °C in one receiver, reaching a temperature gradient of almost 500 K. Current objectives include obtaining the tubular receiver efficiency accurately and optimisation of plant operation and control, in order to be able to characterise the behaviour of the plant and the production of the future plant