Where the sun's rays are converted into electricity

A solar thermal plant is a facility designed for converting solar energy into electricity through a conventional thermodynamic cycle. However, unlike thermal power plants that work by using fossil fuels, solar thermal power plants use a completely eco-friendly energy source like sunlight. The technology used to produce electricity is slightly different depending on the type of solar thermal plant we're talking about, but its operating system is similar.

A solar thermal power plant concentrates the solar radiation to heat a fluid with thermally conductive properties and raise its temperature until it's converted into steam. It's then fed to a turbine. Here, the thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy, which is transmitted to an alternator where its final transformation into electricity takes place. Once the thermodynamic cycle has been completed, the steam is returned to a condenser where it recovers its liquid state and the process is repeated again.