3 - 7 August 2025
San Diego, California, US
Technical Event
Panel Discussion: Challenges in Heliostat Optics and Metrology
20 August 2024 • 12:00 PM - 1:20 PM PDT | Conv. Ctr. Room 17A 
Moderator: Ali Khounsary, Illinois Institute of Technology (United States)

Heliostat power plants, about 100 MWe each, are among the promising options for harnessing solar energy on a large scale. Several heliostat plants are currently in operation around the world, but for their widespread implementation significant capital and operating costs reductions as well as increased plant efficiency are necessary.

Efficient collection and delivery of the sunlight are major considerations for heliostat plants. These require improvements in both the cost and the performance of heliostat optics and metrology. In the US, the Department of Energy has sponsored major research initiatives at National Renewable Energy and Sandia National Laboratory focused on improvement in heliostat performance in general and optics / metrology in particular.

This lunch hour panel discussion provides an opportunity to review recent progress in heliostat optics, discuss outstanding challenges, and share new ideas and research opportunities. The panel includes presentations by the panelists and discussion among the attendees followed by networking and informal discussion on the topic. Those interested in this topic, particularly students, are invited to attend. Lunch boxes are served.

Part of the Nonimaging Optics: Efficient Design for Illumination and Concentration XIX conference.

Event Details

FORMAT: Panel discussion followed by audience Q&A and networking/informal discussion.
SETUP: Classroom style seating

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