Parametric determination of heliostat minimum cost per unit area

Using the 150 m2 United States Department of Energy (DOE) baseline heliostat design and its cost of approximately $200/m2, cost reductions of the order of 50% are determined for a range of much smaller areas, primarily as a function of decreased Category 3 costs. For achievable Category 3 costs, the minimum cost per unit area is projected to meet the DOE 2020 goal of $75/m2.