Nissan Iberica

Solar thermal installation in the Nissan Motor Ibérica plant
Ávila

PROJECT TEAM & PARTNERS

NISSAN

BUDGET - 400.000 and 24.400 € (VAT included)

FUNDING - Privately funded by Nissan and grants, including funds from
Solar Plan of Castilla y León
of 102,000€

TIMESCALE - 1 year

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The objective of this project was to use solar thermal energy as a means of reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, as well as cutting CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere.

The project involved the Installation of high temperature collectors with TIM technology (transparent insulate material) of 530 m2 solar surface and 40,000 l of solar accumulated capacity. The collectors are responsible for producing hot water from solar energy for industrial uses such as degreasing of bodyworks, maintaining the temperature of phosphate treatment and electrocoating of the bodyworks.

To accommodate the hot water demand from showers, bathrooms and changing room high temperature solar thermal collectors were installed with TIM technology (transparent insulate material) of 33m2 solar surface and 2,500 l of solar accumulated capacity.

The whole installation is controlled with temperature probes and flow meters. This enables readings to be taken of temperatures and energy interchange (primary circuit, inputs and outputs, consumption).

CHALLENGES FACED

The main barrier for the introduction of solar energy in this industrial sector is the high level of investment and the low payback period. Both limitations acted against the companies needs for investing in its own production process and could only provide savings in small periods (about 3 years).

LEGISLATION

There is currently no regulation for this kind of installation, even in industrial buildings.
INNOVATIVE PRACTICE
The most innovative practice is the use of solar thermal energy in the industrial thermal process using a new technology of solar collectors of high temperature.

LESSONS LEARNT & APPLICABILITY IN OTHER

Can be used as a process guide for any other solar thermal industrial application.

This kind of installation have been a very influential in the Castilla y León media, and provided the opportunity to educate other industries in the region.

CONCLUSIONS

The current project is an excellent showcase for the dissemination of solar technology, even when it has been used for industrial swimming immersions, apart from the conventional uses for sanitary hot water.

CONTACT DETAILS

Mª Puy Domínguez Pérez
ENTE REGIONAL DE LA ENERGÍA DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN (EREN)
Av. Reyes Leoneses, 11 - EREN Building
24008 León (SPAIN)
Tel.: +34 987-84.93.93 (switchboard) • +34 987-84.07.62 (direct) • Fax: +34 987-84.93.90
E- mail. eren@jcyl.es (general) dompermi@jcyl.es (direct)
http://www.eren.jcyl.es

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