The project “Optimizacion del Diseño de Sistema Solar de Alta Concentracion (CPV)” which have been co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund has been created with a view towards optimizing the electricity production from the sun as a source, this is achieved by using HI-concentrated solar cells, and secondly the objective to use the excess thermal energy generated through the water used for cooing the cells to increase the efficiency of the Global Gateways waste to energy plants. The thermal energy from the solar array will be supplied to the absorption chiller belonging to the gas turbine of the waste to energy plant, resulting on increased turbine efficiency on the warmer days of the year. This is particularly true in countries such as Spain, the nearer the equator the higher the efficiency gain from using the thermal heat. An example of efficiency gains is the below chart, which demonstrates the large temperature variations that Malaga experiences. 

At 44°C as show in the cart below, the gas turbine electric output is 20,3MWe. The goal is to use the solar generated thermal heat for cooling the air temperature used by the gas turbine down to a cooler 12°C, as can be seen below the output would increase significantly to 27.25MW.

Successful implementation of the solar technology would use thermal heat as the source of energy to help achieve the increased energy efficiency goals set up by the EU as part of their fight against man made emission and global warming.