Patent ID: 7997264

Claim:
An inflatable heliostatic solar power collector, comprising: an elongated solar power receiver; a reflection and concentration surface for reflecting and concentrating sunrays; a substantially enclosed elongated upper inflatable volume above said reflection and concentration surface, with a transparent surface above said upper inflatable volume; a substantially enclosed elongated lower inflatable volume below said reflection and concentration surface, with a bottom surface below said lower inflatable volume; elongated side perimeter structural members that have greater length along an axis of elongation than along any other axis, wherein said elongated side perimeter structural members contribute perimeter restraint to said transparent surface above said upper inflatable volume, and wherein said elongated side perimeter structural members contribute perimeter restraint to said bottom surface below said lower inflatable volume, and wherein said elongated side perimeter structural members further contribute to supporting said reflection and concentration surface along at least portions of the perimeter of said reflection and concentration surface; support structure for supporting said solar power collector on a supporting surface; and heliostatic control means comprising at least one of powered elevation control means and powered azimuth control means for aiming said solar power collector as a function of at least one of (i) time of day, (ii) time of year, (iii) latitude of the location of installation of said heliostatic solar power collector, (iv) installation orientation of the support structure relative to the supporting surface, and (v) slope of the supporting surface, such that incoming sunrays from a sunward direction will be reflected and concentrated by said reflection and concentration surface, onto said elongated solar power receiver at a concentration ratio of at least 2 suns.