Optimizing Optical Efficiency of Solar Power Tower Using a Novel Equation for Varying Heliostat Elevation in Biomimetic Layout

Concentrated solar power (CSP) technology has gained significant attention in the 21st century due to its potential advantages. Higher power generation is expected to be achieved in the near future, particularly with the use of solar power tower (SPT) technology. One of the challenges related to solar power tower technology is the decrease in the optical efficiency of heliostats as the distance between the heliostats and the tower increases, primarily due to blocking. In response to this challenge, this study proposes a new variable called heliostat elevation and a novel equation to calculate the variable’s value for each heliostat of a Biomimetic layout, thus enabling the placement of heliostats individually at varying heights above the ground. This variable’s effectiveness is evaluated using a biomimetic layout on a 110 MW plant in Australia. By employing varying elevations and comparing them with a flat field, the results show that the annual average optical efficiency increased by up to 1.691% compared to the layout with no varying elevation.