Israel recently allotted its first licence for a solar thermal energy plant.

The Public Utility Authority (PUA) licence, allotted to AORA Solar, is the first issued within the regulation for solar power feed-in tariffs for power plants rated at least 100kW.

Speaking exclusively with CSPToday.com, AORA's chief technology officer Pinchas Doron said the regulation provides preferred tariffs for solar-generated electricity, as well as long-term contractual obligation of the grid operator to purchase all this power.

"To work within this framework one needs to obtain the appropriate licence from the PUA, which oversees the electricity sector in Israel. AORA (EDIG-Solar) is the first company in Israel to obtain such a licence for a solar-thermal power plant. We believe that this is a breakthrough that will lead to additional, larger installations," said Doron.

"Our company is focused on CSP. We have a unique product, the first and presently only implementation of a gas turbine in a commercial solar plant. Our system combines the benefits of hybridisation, modularity, CHP, and operational flexibility. It can provide a viable solution for a wide range of applications and thus can help proliferate CSP into many market segments," added Doron. 

The company has developed an advanced solar-hybrid gas-turbine engine (IP protected) founded upon its long lasting relationship with the Weizmann Institute of Science.

The system offers a unique modular solution to green power generation, comprising small Base Units (100kW each) that are strung together, building up into a large power plant, tailored to the customers' needs.

When the available sunlight is not sufficient (during cloud cover or at night), the system operates on any alternative fuel source (fossil fuel, bio fuel), thereby guaranteeing an uninterrupted power supply throughout the day

Providing an insight into the technology, Doron said, the power conversion unit (PCU) of AORA's system comprises a solarised micro gas turbine fed by a unique, advanced high temperature receiver that can heat air to meet the turbine requirements.

"This is a breakthrough high-temperature receiver technology that has demonstrated its ability to heat compressed air to temperatures beyond those reached by other designs. We have further developed the concept, and tailored this patented receiver to integrate with a state-of-the-art gas turbine. The compact PCU enables construction of our modular units which use a small heliostat field and small tower," shared Doron.

According to Doron, the system is modular, so AORA can install any multiple of its base unit which is rated at 100kW. This provides many benefits:

·          AORA can aggregate numerous units that are installed in different locations, and manage them as a single plant from a central control post. This allows great flexibility in deployment, and reduces the burden on the high-voltage distribution lines. We can provide low-voltage power locally, thus reduce the need to increase the capacity of the large-scale grid, which is severely overloaded in many places.

·          The power plant size can be tailored to customer needs, and can be increased to follow changes in demand.

·          The ability to distribute investment in construction of units reduces risk, and enables creation of income from existing units even before the full size of the plant has been completed.

·          The power plant size can be fitted to biofuel or other renewable fuels production facilities, allowing their use for power generation close by.

·          Maintenance and service of units does not hamper operation of the other units in the plant. This allows the operator to continue power generation without shutting down the entire plant. Moreover, the simple design of the power unit enables easy, fast service performed by local operators.

·          Modularity eliminates the need for large, contiguous flat areas, which limits the potential sites for other large scale CSP plants.

Following the completion of its first commercial unit and its connection to the national grid in December last year, the company intends to expand the Arava facility into a 20MW power generating plant (200 base units).

AORA is now in the final stages of construction of its first commercial unit in Southern Israel, said Doron.

"Decisions on future projects depend predominantly on economic considerations, particularly the tariff policy. The present tariffs in Israel are not sufficient to make solar-thermal plants economically viable, and we are therefore looking at options in other countries as well. Notably, there is ongoing activity in Israel to update the feed-in tariffs, and when they are raised, we will certainly build our power plants in Israel," added Doron.

Going forward, the company is planning to collaborate with international players in setting up its first international installations by 2009 in strategic markets that will enable future growth and expansion.

Following completion of the pre-production unit in Southern Israel, AORA foresees market penetration in Israel, Spain, and other locations with favourable solar conditions and market environment.