Micro-facet solar concentrator

A low-cost micro-facet solar concentrator is proposed. A large number of small flat mirrors are situated in a parabolic surface to approximate a large parabolic mirror. Low-cost commercial flat mirrors can be used for manufacturing such concentrators. Geometrical analyses show that this concentrator will have a concentration rate of some hundreds of suns. The problems of production of micro mirrors, support components, and the automatic assembly of the concentrator are discussed. Rough estimations show that the cost of the concentrator should be ∼$55 per square metre of concentrator surface.