| The large plains around Seville are sunny for 320 days a year and are therefore ideal for solar thermoelectric power stations. This complex (with 11 MW power) is made up of eight power stations and has been working since 2006. The site consists of 624 swiveling mirrors of 121 square meters each that cover an area of over 28.3 acres (70 hectares). The mirrors laid up against the base of the 377 feet (115 m) tower concentrate the sun’s rays at the top of the tower. The temperature that is reached (between 600 °C and 1.000 °C) produces vapor that activates turbines and alternators which generate electricity. Even though these installations require space, when there is sunshine, they can provide power similar to fossil energy power stations. In 2013, the eight power stations will provide electricity for 180.000 homes, the equivalent of a town like Seville. This source of energy has considerable potential as in one hour, the Earth receives as much energy from the sun as humanity consumes in a year. In 2009, renewable energy in the European Union - solar, hydraulic, biomass, wind and geothermal - represented only 18.2% of electricity production and 11.7% of final energy consumption.
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. &title2=Solar thermal power plant in Sanlúcar la Mayor, near Seville, Andalusia, Spain (37°26’ N, 6°15’ W).&title3= "download in wallpaper")
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