Enel Green Power has opened the first triple renewable hybrid plant in Fallon, Nevada, US.
The Stillwater renewable hybrid facility is said to be the only power plant in the world producing renewable energy by combining geothermal, solar thermal and solar photovoltaic technologies.
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It has increased power availability and reduced energy intermittency by combining geothermal and solar technologies in a single production site.
Enel Green Power CEO Francesco Starace said: "The lessons we are learning at this advanced geothermal-solar facility will be key to the development of other hybrid plants throughout the world.
"We will continue to invest in new technological solutions to maximise existing assets and support further growth, maintaining innovation and operational efficiency as a key driver of our strategic plan."
According to Enel, thermal and photovoltaic technologies are complementary as production from solar is higher during the sunniest and hottest days of the year, when efficiency from the geothermal plant is lower.
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By GlobalDataThe sharing of existing infrastructure reduces the plant’s environmental impact per unit of energy produced and delivered.
The Stillwater solar geothermal hybrid project began operations in 2009 with completion of the geothermal plant.
More than 89,000 polycrystalline silicon PV panels totalling 26.4MW were added to the geothermal plant in 2012.
A solar thermal system was added to the existing geothermal power station last year.
