M+W Zander at the Hannover Fair with Fresnel solar collector 5.40 meters high

Construction of a two megawatt solarthermal demo power station in Spain, Joint stand with NOVATEC BioSol in Hall 27

At this year’s Hannover Fair (April 21 to 25 April 2008), engineering group M+W Zander is presenting solutions for efficient use of regenerative energies (Hall 27, A33/2). Solarthermal energy (Concentrating Solar Power/CSP) is a focus at the joint stand with NOVATEC BioSol. The visual design of the stand demonstrates this – it features a 5.40 meter high Fresnel solar collector. Mirrors like this developed by Novatec BioSol are currently being set up at a power plant construction site in Spain where M+W Zander and Novatec BioSol are constructing a two megawatt solarthermal power plant with around 18,000 square meters of mirror surface.  Commissioning is scheduled for July 2008. Construction of additional solar power stations with a total output of 90 megawatts is in discussion.

The solarthermal demo power station currently being constructed is located near Murcia (South-east Spain). It is based on the principle of Fresnel collector technology which uses slightly curved glass mirrors instead of parabolically curved reflection fields. In each case, eight rows of mirrors are configured opposite each other so that the reflected rays from the sun come together at a focal line in the center, the receiver. This contains water which is made into steam by the rays of the sun and converted to electrical energy using a turbine.

"The technology has been tested on a 200 square meter test area since 2006 and we now want to prove that it also operates smoothly on a large scale. Operation during the second half of 2008 will demonstrate that this environmentally friendly system will also perform cost-effectively during routine, everyday operation and without high maintenance costs," comments Dr. Günter Schneider, Spokesman for the executive management of M+W Zander FE GmbH.

The advantages of the technology also mean that the solar power plant effectively operates without extensive need for cooling water. This means that lengthy approval processes are not required in a region where water is in any case a scarce resource. The mirror components can also be manufactured in the region where the power plant is located. This eliminates the need for long transport routes and cuts down construction times. The solar generated steam and the waste turbine heat can also be used for seawater desalination in districts where water is at a premium.

Apart from solarthermal energy, M+W Zander demonstrates solutions for cogeneration, geothermal energy and biomass gasification.  

About M+W Zander:

With its subsidiary companies, M+W Zander Beteiligungs GmbH offers worldwide integrated business solutions for company facilities, high-tech production plants and industrial complexes. The Group focuses on industries like electronics, photovoltaics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, new energies and research institutes. Facility management forms an additional focus. In 2007, M+W Zander generated sales of about 2.1 billion euros with around 8200 employees.

M+W Zander FE GmbH is a company in the globally acting M+W Zander Group operating in Europe and the Mediterranean area. The range of services comprises design and construction of high-tech plants for customers from semiconductor and flat-screen production, the photovoltaic industry and the energy sector.

Hannover/Stuttgart (Germany), April 21, 2008