Solar Thermal Through
Thermal troughs use mirrors to concentrate the sun’s heat to cook tubes of oil up to 400 C. That oil is then passed through water, heating it to steam which drives a turbine.
Presently, a couple “plants” supply power. These plants exist out in the desert and typically provide 100-300 megawatts of power (30K-120K homes).

Thin Film Solar
It’s the same concept as standard PV solar, but the material uses polymer substrates to create a flexible material. The resultant material is much faster to install while providing similar energy output …

PBS NOVA ran a program recently called “Saved by the Sun”, detailing solar technologies and commentary on whether its time to switch over to solar nationally.
In one of their interactive pieces, they describe the inner workings of a Solar PV cell, the kind that most people have installed on their roofs (as will be described in our upcoming cafe). Flash is required to view the below explanation.
You can also see a larger version here.

In upcoming days, I will delve into the varied world of new solar technologies, from thin-film to …

Dick Swanson, our next speaker on the Science of Solar, recently recorded a four part podcast with the folks over at Greentech Media. Dick discusses the history of PV solar to the development and maturation of Sunpower, and finally with an eye to the future.
(If you click the icon next to the link, you will be able to hear each part)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4