Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) will start installation of 450 large mirrors, called heliostats, for a solar-thermal tower system at the CSIRO National Solar Energy Center in New South Wales, Australia.
The heliostats are part of an advanced new solar technology developed by CSIRO and manufactured by Central Coast company, Performance Engineering Group.
The new solar-thermal tower is designed to demonstrate that, after the cost of carbon is taken into account, electricity can be generated at the same or less cost than fossil fuel generated electricity.
By developing such technology, CSIRO aims to make solar generated electricity at the same cost or cheaper than fossil fuel generated electricity when the cost of carbon is taken into account.
Once installed, the heliostats will concentrate the sun’s rays to create temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Celsius.