Radiant energy collector

A solar panel comprising:

• A. an array of solar collectors;
• B. each of said solar collectors comprising an elongated reflective surface means having a curved surface for reflecting radiant energy which is incident thereon, said reflective surface means having a length and an edge thereof, said curved surface extending in a direction of said length and continuously curved in a direction normal to a length of said surface, and an elongated energy conversion means having a body extending generally parallel to the length of said surface means and adjacent said edge and positioned with respect to said curved reflective surface for impingement by radiant energy which is reflected from said curved surface toward said body, said body having a plurality of cross sections which are defined by the intersection of the body of planes of incidence of substantially all radiant energy impinging on said curved surface, said reflective curved surface having a plurality of reflection half-planes each defined by a normal to said curved surface and by a reflected ray from said curved surface, said body and said reflective curved surface relatively positioned for providing that said cross sections are located within said reflected half-planes and said normal is contiguous with a periphery of said cross section, intake and outlet manifold means for conveying a heat transfer medium thereto, and, said relative positioning of said body and curved surface forming an aperture through which radiant energy propagates and is incident on said surface, said aperture having a width extending in a direction generally normal to the length of said surface and which width is substantially equal in length to the perimeter of said body.