The Solar Platform of Almeria is located in the municipality of Tabernas, in the southeast of Spain. Due to its location, it receives direct annual exposure to more than 1900 kWh/m2, making it a prime location for experimenting with solar energy systems.
The International Energy Agency began construction of the platform in 1979, and it became part of the CIEMAT Institute of Renewable Energies in 1986.
The Solar Platform of Almeria has large test facilities, including the following:
- central receiver systems, with a capacity of up to 5 MW;
- parabolic trough collector fields of up to 2.5 MW;
- a test bench for parabolic trough collectors up to 20 m;
- several solar furnaces (the largest of 60 kW);
- desalination pilot plants up to 3 m3/h;
- photochemistry and photocatalysis pilot plants with a capacity of 500 litres.
