Shuman built the world’s first solar thermal power station in Maadi, Egypt, between 1912 and 1913. Shuman’s plant used parabolic troughs to power a 45–52 kilowatts (60–70 hp) engine that pumped more than 22,000 litres (4,800 imp gal; 5,800 US gal) of water per minute from the Nile River to adjacent cotton fields. Although the outbreak of World War I and the discovery of cheap oil in the 1930s discouraged the advancement of solar energy, Shuman’s vision and basic design were resurrected in the 1970s with a new wave of interest in solar thermal energy. In 1916 Shuman was quoted in the media advocating solar energy's utilization, saying: COUNT 8
QSN1 Where did Shuman build the world's first solar thermal power station? ANS1 Maadi, Egypt QSN2 How many liters of water per minute did Shuman's engine pump in litres? ANS2 22,000 QSN3 In what decade were Shuman's ideas about solar energy revived? ANS3 the 1970s QSN4 Where was the first solar thermal power plant built? ANS4 Maadi, Egypt QSN5 What was used to power the plants engine? ANS5 parabolic troughs QSN6 From what river did the engine pump water? ANS6 Nile River QSN7 What slowed down the growth of solar energy? ANS7 the outbreak of World War I and the discovery of cheap oil QSN8 When was the interest in solar energy restored? ANS8 the 1970s