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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
4.15.2008 - 08:30pm ET
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Three Spanish Solar Power Generation Plants Enabled By Chemistry From Dow Performance Fluids
Two of which are the world's largest ...
(CSRwire) MIDLAND, MI -April 15, 2008 - The Dow Chemical Company Performance Fluids
business is enabling three large solar power plants in Spain to collect
heat and convert it to electrical energy. Taking advantage of the sunny
climate, and favorable tax incentives, Spain is pioneering large,
commercially viable solar power plants.
Starting later this year, Dow will deliver over 2,000 metric tons of
DOWTHERM(TM) A - a well known, specialized heat transfer fluid - to the
Andasol I Solar Energy plant in Guadix, located in southern Spain, near
Granada. A few months later, Dow will fill the Iberdrola Renovables plant
located in Ciudad Real with nearly 1,000 metric tons of DOWTHERM(TM) A.
Later still, another 2,000 metric tons of the same heat transfer fluid
will be delivered to Andasol II, also located near Guadix.
Each plant will supply 50 megawatts of electrical power for a total of 150
megawatts. This is enough electricity for about 90,000 homes. Both of the
Andasol plants will save approximately 450,000 tons of carbon dioxide that
would have been released to the atmosphere had traditional fuels been
burned.
Heat Transfer Fluid From Dow
The role of DOWTHERM(TM) A is to collect heat energy and transport it to a
power generating station. The transported heat converts water to steam
which in turn drives turbines to make electricity. DOWTHERM(TM) A is a
mixture of special fluids that have the high temperature stability needed
to collect, transport, and store heat.
DOWTHERM(TM) A is ideal for systems that use liquid or vapor phase
heating. Not only does Dow have the right chemistry for the application,
but it also has the manufacturing and logistical capabilities few others
have, that are needed for projects of this size.
Production and Delivery Challenges
Dow spent a great deal of time designing an effective manufacturing and
supply chain capability to deliver the incredibly large amounts of heat
transfer fluid needed for these solar plants. "Each order is massive in
its own right," said Steven Stanley, Ph.D., global business director for
Dow Performance Fluids. "We have large manufacturing resources,
logistical expertise and the transportation capabilities here at Dow.
There are few companies globally that have the capability to do a
specialized job of this size."
Manufacturing Challenges
The manufacturing challenges for Dow to fulfill this order centered on
creating a supply design to enable the production of large batches of
DOWTHERM(TM) A. To further complicate the process, huge amounts of raw
materials are needed to enable manufacture. Dow decided to use local
suppliers of raw materials to shorten the manufacturing process. Use of
local supply had never been done before.
Delivery Challenges
All these tons of DOWTHERM(TM) A need to be delivered over the road in a
short, two to four week period. This is a challenge given how much fluid
is needed. In addition, the DOWTHERM(TM) A is heated and delivered at
about 40 degrees C. To achieve these results, Dow invented a completely
new supply chain procedure.
To do this, Dow:
- Established supply capability in Spain for finished fluids.
- Optimized fluid heating within the supply chain to meet customer
delivery requirements.
- Developed the capability to deliver heated DOWTHERM(TM) A on a
continuous basis during the delivery period.
"This system of supply, manufacture, and delivery will enable us to
continue to replicate these same results for years to come," Stanley
concluded. "We can provide superior chemistry with great service at the
lowest possible cost for our customers."
About Dow
With annual sales of $54 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide, Dow is a
diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and
technology with the "Human
Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The
Company delivers a broad range of products and
services to customers in around 160 countries, connecting chemistry
and innovation with the principles
of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and
pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. References
to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.
(R)(TM)* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated
company of Dow
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