The main handicap of the concentrating solar power technology is still the higher cost compared with the conventional coal power plant. Heliostat arrays cause about 40% of the costs of central receiver power plants. The cost reduction of heliostats is of crucial importance to central receiver...

Parabolic trough receivers are the key component of parabolic trough solar plants, and they typically account for 30% of the cost of the construction of a solar field. The receiver’s reliability is still a major item which affects the plant’s cost. The temperature distribution of the...