The DLR Institute of Solar Research, together with the University of 脡vora and industry partners from Germany and Spain, have built a solar parabolic trough test facility using molten salt as its heat transfer medium. It is part of the High Performance Solar 2 (HPS2) research project located in 脡vora, Portugal, which is a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant that uses the sun鈥檚 energy to generate electricity and heat. With a total thermal output of up to 3.5 megawatts, it is equipped with a steam generator that provides steam at a pressure of up to 140 bar and generates a thermal output of 1.6 megawatts. The plant aims to develop and optimize the use of molten salt as a primary fluid, operating between 500掳C and 600掳C, increasing efficiency and lowering CAPEX and OPEX costs.