Alfa Laval has received an order in the US to provide Alfa Laval Packinox heat exchangers to the world's largest concentrated solar power plant. The order value is substantial and well in line with the largest reported over the past 12 months. Delivery is scheduled for 2012.

"We are very proud to be part of such a ground-breaking project in the important area of renewable energy", says Lars Renstrom, President and CEO of the Alfa Laval Group. "It is a unique order in many ways; it includes a unique product and will to be used in the world's largest solar power plant."

The Alfa Laval Packinox heat exchangers, specifically developed for this application, will be the heart of the thermal storage system where heat from solar power is stored in molten salt, thereby enabling electricity production even on rainy days or at night.

The solution will allow the plant to operate for additional 6 hours on stored energy, i.e. from 12 to 18 hours - an increase of about 50 percent over normal daytime solar power production, which better matches the demands from the local power consumers.

This is the biggest solar power order so far for Alfa Laval, who has developed solutions for solar power pilot plants during several years and has to day a number of references from countries in the world's solar belt.

Due to a confidentiality agreement with the customer, Alfa Laval is unable to disclose the exact value of the order and the name of the customer.

Did you know... that the earth every single hour receives energy from the sun equal to the world's yearly consumption?*