Check this thing out. It’s a parabolic solar array from Stirling Energy Systems. The thing in the center, the Power Conversion Unit, collects the concentrated solar energy and converts it to mechanical energy by heating gas and letting it move some pistons. Stirling Energy Systems have developed this puppy based on the design of the Stirling Cycle Engine designed in 1816.

Since it’s a dish shape much like any radio telescope or satellite dish, it’s fully motorized and gimbaled, thus able to automatically track the sun. The electricity output can be pumped right into the grid too.

Stirling Energy recently broke the standing grid efficiency record too apparently. They achieved 31.25% net efficiency putting power into the grid. The old record of 29.4 has stood since 1984. Moving ever closer to the elusive “Grid parity”.

This is cool stuff.

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