Concentrating Solar Plant - Solar Power Towers

Concentrating solar plants, also known as solar power towers, use thousands of small mirrors to direct and concentrate sunlight onto a tower. The concentrated sunlight boils a working fluid, such as water, that produces steam which is used to power a turbine and generate electricity. The concentrated rays can reach up to 1000 times more energy than sunlight on a sunny day. The heat energy collected can also be used to store energy for use during periods when the sun is not shining. Solar power towers are a very efficient source of solar energy, with efficiencies up to 24%, compared to around 15% for photovoltaic systems.