What’s the most efficient way to make electricity from solar power on a large scale? Is it using photovoltaic cells, or mirros and a turbine or what? I’d be interested in a web site that compares all the options by efficiency, cost, reliability in cloudy weather, and stuff like that.

Best answer:

Answer by baypointmike
In a large scale, focusing the light to boil water. This is being done in the desert in So. California. They use many car-size mirrors that focus their reflection on a boiler mounted in a tower. The steam drives a generator to produce electricity or, the heat is stored in molten salt before it is used, to allow for clouds blocking the sun temporarily.
The electric windmills (the wind is driven by the sun) and solar panels may produce slightly cheaper energy, now.

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