Sunlight is a source of “renewable” energy that may be captured for human use using various techniques. One method of concentrating light is to use reflective (mirrored) optics. Mirrors are moved to track the sun with either single or dual axes of movement, focussing light to a receiver where some sort of energy collection or conversion process is carried out.
When dishes are used the mirrored surface preferably follows a desired surface to a relatively high degree of accuracy so that the focal area is relatively small and the efficiency high.
Typically the mirrored surface is made up of a large number of individual mirrored panels but may be a single panel.
A solar thermal power plant may require hundreds or thousands of individual mirror panels. Accordingly, the cost of each panel has a significant influence on the overall cost of the solar thermal power plant.