Solar farms:

Above - Meekatharra solar farm (that utilised troughs).

Google Earth - Meekatharra

Solar farms consist of a network of solar collectors heating a working fluid to a high temperature (up to 300 degrees Celsius). This fluid is then fed through pipes to a central boiler to produce steam which in turn drives a generator. The largest solar farm in the southern hemisphere was installed in Meekatharra in 1982. While the solar farm worked well, some other aspects of the installation did not meet expectations.

It was mainly an experimental project – a joint venture between the State Energy Commission of Western Australia and Western Germany. The project was closed in 1985. However, the Meekatharra project resulted in many breakthroughs in other fields of renewable energy research.