Groundbreaking triple hybrid plant in Nevada inaugurated

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The Stillwater hybrid project in Nevada has now been completed. Image: Enel.

A hybrid power plant in Nevada, USA, which combines geothermal, PV and solar thermal power has been inaugurated and become the first of its kind to combine the three generation types.

Enel Green Power, the Italian firm behind the project, has already hailed the hybrid combination a success, citing evidence that the integration of the thermal element, the final phase of the project, has boosted the output of the geothermal plant by 3.6%.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The geothermal element of the project, the first phase, was completed in 2009. In 2012 Enel added a 26.4MW PV system, before installing the 2MW solar thermal facility last year.

The CSP element of Stillwater was the third and final phase of the project. Image: Enel Green Power.

The company said the three generation types were complementary because they have different generation profiles: production from solar PV and thermal is higher during the sunniest and hottest times of day, when the geothermal plant is less productive. By combing the three technologies at one site, Enel said energy availability is increased and intermittency reduced, while increased productivity during peak hours also enables a more load-following production profile.

That theory is borne out by figures published by Enel drawn from operating data between March and December 2015, which revealed that the integration of the solar thermal element with the 33.1MW geothermal plant increased overall output of the plant by 3.6%, compared with geothermal output only.

“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,” said Enel CEO Francesco Starace.

The sharing of infrastructure between the three plants also generates further savings, making the plant more cost-effective overall, Enel said.

A detailed Project Briefing article on the Stillwater project was published in Volume 1 of PV Tech Power in 2014. To read the piece in full, click here

Read Next

May 26, 2025
Potentia Energy has completed the development of its 93MW Girgarre solar PV power plant in Victoria, Australia.
Premium
May 23, 2025
The PPA is a 'cornerstone' of the European renewables space, according to speakers at Solar Media's Renewables Procurement & Revenue Summit.
May 21, 2025
Installation of the anchoring system for what has been badged the world’s first floating offshore solar-wind project has been completed.
April 22, 2025
Australia’s University of Queensland has claimed a new world-record efficiency for a tin halide perovskite solar cell, certified at 16.65%.
April 4, 2025
Australia’s Green Power Generation (GPG) has inaugurated a 128MW hybrid solar PV and battery energy storage (BESS) project in Western Australia.
January 28, 2025
Engineers at Australia’s University of New South Wales (UNSW) have claimed to have achieved a new world record for photovoltaic efficiency using high-bandgap kesterite solar cells (CZTS).

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece