The rig is made up of a concave mirror and a thin, glass tube filled with photovoltaic cells.
When the suns rays strike the module, the mirror reflects them at the tube, generating electricity.
This warm liquid can be used for heating and cooling buildings or for industrial applications.
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By concentrating the suns energy, the mirror amplifies the solar radiation by a factor of60 to 120 times.
This means far fewer solar cells are needed to produce the same amount of energy.
This is an important factor, since standard solar cells struggle to produce electricity efficiently in hot conditions.
Story bySion Geschwindt
Sion is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy.
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