The first CMI Energy thermal-solar boiler will power the Upington (South Africa) plant

The first CMI Energy thermal-solar boiler will power the Upington (South Africa) plant.

May 22nd 2012

After four years of development, CMI Energy has just secured its first order for a thermo-solar boiler, assigned through the Spanish company Abengoa Solar. It will equip the thermo-solar power plant “tower” of a 50MWe facility at Upington (South Africa). Called the Khi Solar One, this plant will be commissioned in 2014.

The CMI boiler produces superheated steam at high pressure directly used in the turbine, as well as saturated steam. Stored in accumulators, this saturated steam may be used when conditions demand electricity production, even at night.

This first reference is a key step in the evolution of CMI, moving it into a new growth market, with global potential estimated at over 30,000 MWe by 2020.