ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the larger-scale systems designed primarily for utility applications. Solar thermal conversion involves the production of shaft power and of electricity via a thermodynamic cycle. In this cycle, a heat engine is driven by energy absorbed from sunlight. The heat engine is the principal feature that distinguishes the discipline of solar thermal electricity from photovoltaics or home heating and cooling. An important consideration for any system that is to produce mechanical energy from thermal energy is the overall system efficiency. This is determined by the product of the thermodynamic cycle efficiency and the collection efficiency of the solar system. The largest cost component in a solar system is the collector, so it must be made economically. The solar tower system is very versatile, as there are many parameters that can be varied in a search for the lowest-cost solution to a specific problem.
