Solar power is energy from the sun. Although the sun is 150 million kilometres away it is still extremely powerful. The amount of energy it provides for the earth in one minute is large enough to meet the earth’s energy needs for one year. The problem is in the development of technology that can harness this ‘free’ energy source.

 Solar collectors are one way of focussing the suns rays to heat up fluids. A typical array of solar collectors is seen opposite. They are basically unusually shaped mirrors (parabolic in shape) that focus the heat of the sun on a pipe carrying a special fluid. The temperature of the fluid in the pipe increases as it flows down the pipe, along the solar collectors. The pipe extends the entire length of the mirrors.

This type of set up works at its best in desert areas where there is no shortage of sunlight and very little cloud. The hot fluid in the pipe can be used, through a system of heat exchangers, to produce electricity or hot water.

The special fluid inside the pipes can be replaced with water. The concentrated heat from the parabolic collectors turns the water into steam. The jet of steam is used to turn turbines producing electricity. This system works well in desert regions due to the hot climate.

Modern systems have synthetic oil heating in the pipes. The reflected sun heats up the oil, which in turn heats up water, creating steam. The steam drives turbines which produce electricity.

The photographs show an arrangement of parabolic solar collectors. Notice the suns energy is focused on the water pipe at its centre.