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CSIRO's cheap solar energy centre: photos
The CSIRO yesterday began installing 450 large mirrors, known as heliostats, in order to create a large solar-thermal tower system in the hopes of fostering cheap solar energy
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The heliostats (pictured above, look closely) have been developed by CSIRO and made by Performance Engineering Group, a company based in the central coast.
The size of the panels (2.4 metres by 1.8 metres) makes them difficult to manufacture, as the shape needs to meet exact specifications in order to achieve the right reflection point and the strength to withstand adverse weather.
According to the CSIRO, the heliostats have a unique design specifically created for mass production and are more effective than other heliostats. Indeed, the managing director of Performance Engineering Group, Jon Priddle, believes that high-quality heliostats will one day be mass produced in Australia.
Caption by: Suzanne Tindal
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