Generally concentrated solar power is not installed at a residential scale and instead will almost always be installed over a large area as a utility scale generating facility.
Concentrated solar panel system.
Csp vs pv technologies.
Concentrated solar power csp also known as concentrating solar power concentrated solar thermal systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight onto a receiver.
Csp systems concentrate radiation of the sun to heat a liquid substance which is then used to drive a heat engine and drive an electric generator.
For residential and commercial property owners solar photovoltaic panels are the best way to harness the sun s energy for use.
One that collects solar energy and converts it to heat and another that converts the heat energy to electricity.
Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic effect.
Here in we review basic solar energy facts of competing solar technologies csp vs pv.
Electricity is generated when the concentrated light is converted to heat solar thermal energy which drives a heat engine usually a steam turbine connected to an electrical power.
A brief video showing how concentrating solar power works using a parabolic trough system as an example is available from the department of energy solar energy technologies web site.
Concentrated solar thermal systems csp are not the same as photovoltaic panels.