Scientists at MIT and RWTH Aachen University may have revolutionized the effectiveness of concentrated solar plants – by emulating the pattern found on a sunflower, otherwise known in science as Fermat’s spiral. By rearranging the CSP’s massive heliostats, or mirrors, to resemble the yellow flower’s petals, the solar power harvester can take up 20% less space. Making the system more compact increases the CSP’s efficacy, giving it a higher potential for energy generation.
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Read more: MIT Scientists Find Way to Maximize Concentrated Solar Plant Efficacy by Emulating a Sunflower's Pattern | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World