Concentrated solar energy uses mirrors or lenses to focus sunlight onto a small receiver which powers an engine. If that engine is an AVS machine, overall solar-to-mechanical conversion efficiency can be as high as 60%. The most common photovoltaic panels today operate at 15% – 20% efficiency, so AVS solar can generate similar power levels from one-third to one-quarter the square footage of common PV.

More importantly, AVS solar is projected to have cost-per-watt advantages over PV:
- raw materials are less expensive
- engines are small, simple and do not require ultra-precise manufacture
- overall structure is smaller thanks to higher efficiency
- collectors are just arrays of small mass-produced flat mirrors
- array support structures can be mass produced from sheet material and assembled on-site
- AVS engines can spin generators at 3,600 RPM to produce 60 Hz AC power without expensive inverters.
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