Component developments for novel solar thermal facilities

Abstract
The state of development for the important components of solar thermal facilities as well as the objectives for improving activities are shortly described. Most of these activities have been formulated as project plans of the IEA-SolarPACES Task III "Solar Technology and Advanced Applications". The progress lines of development in collector technology will be reported for trough, heliostat and dish mirrors. The receiver trends will also be described for tube and volumetric absorber techniques. Special attention will be given to the advances of the parabolic trough technology (direct steam generation, improved/simplified components), to the newest results of American and Spanish/German heliostats, and to the Israeli high-flux closed cycle receiver as well as to German volumetric receiver advances.