Quick Answer: Solar PV and solar thermal both harness energy from the sun but for different purposes. Photovoltaic (PV) systems convert sunlight directly into electricity, while thermal systems produce thermal energy for residential heating systems such as hot water or space heaters.
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Only three types of solar thermal power plants exist: linear concentrator systems, solar power towers and solar dish/engine systems.
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Concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) technologies can be used to generate electricity by converting energy from sunlight to power a turbine, but the same basic technologies can also be used to deliver heat to a variety of industrial applications, like water desalination .
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The energy generation device operates by heating wax and oil by heat from a solar concentrator or geothermal energy; as the weight of the wax becomes liquid that is lighter than the oil, the liquid wax moves up through a pathway; when the liquid wax reaches the top of the pathway.
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