What are the primary forms of solar concentrators?
Solar concentrators use lenses, mirrors, parabolic dishes or other optics to concentrate energy from the sun. Very often, they have a mechanism so that these devices track the path of the sun during the day. In solar thermal applications, troughs or large mirrors amplify sunlight to create heat, which heats a liquid or gas that turns turbines to make electricity. Solar thermal is used for large-scale power plants operated by utilities, usually in the desert. After a 16-year hiatus, companies are opening up new plants or contemplating new ones in the southwestern U.S., India, southern Europe and North Africa. This same technique is also being pursued in conjunction with photovoltaic solar cells, which convert light to electricity. Among concentrating photovoltaic companies, there is a wide range of approaches. There are systems designed for utilities’ central power stations, mounted concentrators that can go on the roof of an office building, and those that are the same size as traditio
