Solar Concentrator Heats up the Haywood County Fair

Josh Knight and Bryan Ray adjust the solar concentrator at the Haywood County Fair.  Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, are systems that use mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight, or solar thermal energy, onto a small area. Electrical power is produced when the concentrated light is converted to heat which drives a heat engine (usually a steam turbine) connected to an electrical power generator.

Solar energy is just one of the topics in their class, ALT 120 Alternative Energy, in the EET program at Haywood Community College.  The class is currently building solar hot water units.