The plant, expected to start production early 2011, will have an annual capacity of around 75,000 solar receivers.

The solar receiver plant’s capacity will eventually be increased to 140,000 tubes per year.

The solar receivers use molten salt as heat transfer medium instead of thermo oil.

Federica Angelantoni, CEO of Archimede Solar Energy, says: “The new plant gives us the opportunity to supply large volumes of high temperature receivers for the use of molten salt. These tubes can reach a temperature of up to 550°C.”

The solar thermal market

Until 2020, the market for solar thermal power plants is expected to show annual double-digit growth rates and attain a volume of over €20 billion.

In the future, the primary focal growth regions will be the USA, South Africa, Australia, Spain, Israel, India, North Africa and the Middle East.