Which renewable technology concentrates sunlight with mirrors to produce high-temperature heat?

Concentrated solar power concentrates sunlight with mirrors to produce high-temperature heat.

CSP systems use fields of mirrors to focus sunlight onto a receiver. The receiver heats a working fluid, which can create steam to drive a turbine and generator. Unlike photovoltaic panels, which convert light directly into electricity, CSP first creates thermal energy.

Major designs include parabolic troughs, solar power towers, linear Fresnel systems, and dish engines. Some plants store heat in materials such as molten salt, allowing electricity production after clouds pass or after sunset.

CSP works best in regions with strong direct sunlight, because scattered or diffuse light cannot be focused efficiently. It is therefore more geographically limited than photovoltaic generation. The technology is also sometimes called solar thermal electricity, but ordinary solar water heaters are not generally classified as power-generation CSP plants.