SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLEANING, MAINTAINING, OR OPERATING HELIOSTATS IN A SOLAR FIELD

摘要

A maintenance vehicle for heliostats as well as heliostats within a solar field of a solar tower system can be controlled to reduce the likelihood of damage to an indigenous animal or its habitat. At least some of the heliostats can be arranged and operated in such a manner that the maintenance vehicle can pass through the solar field along conditional pathways. The arrangement and control of the heliostats to allow access to heliostats by a maintenance vehicle can enable different heliostat patterns as compared with conventional arrangements. In particular, heliostats in one section of the solar field can be arranged in a more ordered and high density pattern while heliostats in another section of the solar field can be arranged in a more disordered pattern. The density and arrangement of heliostats in various sections of the field can be optimized to improve and/or maximize solar energy production and/or revenue generation.