Thermal
Thermal
Concentrated | Parabolic Trough
Thermal
Concentrated | Fresnel
Thermal
Concentrated | Dish Stirling
Thermal
Concentrated | Solar Power Tower
Photovoltaic
Photovoltaic
Crystalline Silicon (wafer)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Non Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Multijunction
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Dye-sensitized
(DSSC)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Organic
Photovoltaic
3D Cells
Photovoltaic
Infrared and UV
Photovoltaic
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV)
Photovoltaic
Concentrated (CPV)
Luminescent Solar Concentrator
Heliostatic (tracking)
Concentrated
Dual PV/Thermal Integrated Systems
Updraft Tower
(Solar Chimney)
Thermoelectric
Photoelectrochemical Cell
(PEC)
Direct to Liquid Fuel
Direct to Hydrogen
Solar Chemical
(artificial photosynthesis)
Air Conditioning
Radiometer
Thermal
Concentrated | Parabolic Trough
Thermal
Concentrated | Fresnel
Thermal
Concentrated | Dish Stirling
Thermal
Concentrated | Solar Power Tower
Photovoltaic
Photovoltaic
Crystalline Silicon (wafer)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Non Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Multijunction
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Dye-sensitized
(DSSC)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Organic
Photovoltaic
3D Cells
Photovoltaic
Infrared and UV
Photovoltaic
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV)
Photovoltaic
Concentrated (CPV)
Luminescent Solar Concentrator
Heliostatic (tracking)
Concentrated
Dual PV/Thermal Integrated Systems
Updraft Tower
(Solar Chimney)
Thermoelectric
Photoelectrochemical Cell
(PEC)
Direct to Liquid Fuel
Direct to Hydrogen
Solar Chemical
(artificial photosynthesis)
Air Conditioning
Radiometer
Thermal, Concentrated, Solar Power Tower
In this type of concentrated solar thermal power, an array of mirrors at the ground level tracks the sun’s location in the sky and focuses sunlight onto a single collector positioned high atop a central tower pylon structure. In this system, the temperatures reached at the collector can become extremely high and create efficiencies of scale. By using a high heat capacity material such as molten salt in the collector (which transfers heat to water to run a turbine) energy can be stored to produce electricity after the sun has set.
Another variation, the beam-down tower, was recently demonstrated by Masdar in Abu Dhabi. Where in a typical solar power tower, the water that runs the turbine must be continuously pumped back up to the collector, the beam-down design allows the entire heat transfer loop to be located at ground level, potentially increasing the overall efficiency of the system.
In this type of concentrated solar thermal power, an array of mirrors at the ground level tracks the sun’s location in the sky and focuses sunlight onto a single collector positioned high atop a central tower pylon structure. In this system, the temperatures reached at the collector can become extremely high and create efficiencies of scale. By using a high heat capacity material such as molten salt in the collector (which transfers heat to water to run a turbine) energy can be stored to produce electricity after the sun has set.
Another variation, the beam-down tower, was recently demonstrated by Masdar in Abu Dhabi. Where in a typical solar power tower, the water that runs the turbine must be continuously pumped back up to the collector, the beam-down design allows the entire heat transfer loop to be located at ground level, potentially increasing the overall efficiency of the system.