Concentrating solar energy collector

A concentrating solar energy collector comprising:

• a linearly elongated reflector having a linear focus;
• a linearly elongated receiver oriented parallel to the linear focus of the reflector and fixed in position with respect to the reflector, the receiver comprising solar cells that in operation of the solar energy collector are illuminated by solar radiation concentrated by the reflector onto the receiver;
• and
• a support structure supporting the reflector and the receiver and pivotally mounted to accommodate rotation of the support structure, the reflector, and the receiver about a rotation axis parallel to the linear focus of the reflector;
• wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of linearly elongated reflective elements each having a long axis, and the linearly elongated reflective elements are arranged in two or more parallel side-by-side rows with the rows and the long axes of the linearly elongated reflective elements oriented parallel to the linear focus of the reflector;
• wherein each row of linearly elongated reflective elements includes two or more of the linearly elongated reflective elements arranged end-to-end such that gaps or joints between the linearly elongated reflective elements in each row are not next to gaps or joints between linearly elongated reflective elements in an adjacent row;
• and
• wherein in each row of linearly elongated reflective elements arranged end-to-end each gap or joint between linearly elongated reflective elements is separated from its nearest neighbor gap or joint in the other rows of linearly elongated reflective elements by at least one row of linearly elongated reflective elements.