Solar thermal energy is obtained by converting solar heat into useful energy. This is achieved through various technologies. Parabolic solar collectors use curved reflective mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver containing a thermal fluid. The heat generated is used to produce steam and generate electricity.
Solar thermal power plants are active systems, and while there are a few types, there are a few basic similarities: Mirrors reflect and concentrate sunlight, and receivers collect that solar energy and convert it into heat energy. A generator can then be used to produce electricity from this heat energy.
solar thermal energy (STE) Solar. the conversion of the radiant energy from the sun into heat, which can then be used for such purposes as space and hot water heating, industrial process heat, or power generation. See below. solar thermal energy When a dark surface is placed in sunshine, it absorbs solar energy and heats up.
How Does Solar Power Create Electricity? Solar power generates electricity by using either solar thermal systems that convert sunlight into heat to produce steam that drives a generator, or photovoltaic systems, which transform sunlight into electricity through the photovoltaic effect.
Using solar thermal technology to generate electricity is most popular for large, utility-scale solar projects. In this process, mirrors focus the heat from the sun onto a collector, where a liquid is converted into steam to spin a turbine.
The most common type of solar thermal power plants, including those plants in California's Mojave Desert, use a parabolic trough design to collect the sun's radiation. These collectors are known as linear concentrator systems, and the largest are able to generate 80 megawatts of electricity [source: U.S. Department of Energy].