On Nov. 10th the prototype of a large dish comcentrator near Dimona/Israel was completed. The system was developed under contract with HelioFocus of Tel Aviv und is with 500 m² mirror surface one of the both largest such concentrators worldwide. The principle of a Fresnel arrangement of the mirror facets was applied on a solar concentrator of this type for the first time. 219 curved mirrors focus the sunlight, concentrating up to 400 kW thermal power on the receiver. This gerenates hot air up to 1000 °C and via a heat exchanger steam, which shall be fed into a fossil power plant in the next project phase. Another specific feature is the innovative drive technique with a pilgrim step drive.
The system is now under commissioning.