Patent ID: 8443795

Claim:
A concentrating solar energy collector comprising: a) an open housing comprising a first panel and a second panel; b) a first bracket connecting the first panel and the second panel to provide an exterior housing wall; c) a heat collector; d) a first reflector positioned within said housing to receive solar radiation and concentrate at least a portion of said solar radiation on said heat collector; and e) a second reflector, a first rib and a second rib, the first rib contacting the first panel and at least a portion of the first reflector and the second rib contacting the second panel and at least a portion of the second reflector, wherein the first rib compresses the first reflector to provide a shape of a first portion of a parabolic trough, and wherein the second rib compresses the second reflector to provide the second reflector a shape of a second portion of said parabolic trough, and wherein the concentrating solar energy collector has no cover over said first and second reflectors, wherein the housing comprises a third panel connected to the first panel by a second bracket and a fourth panel connected to the second panel by a third bracket, wherein the first bracket has a first slot to receive a portion of said first reflector, and wherein the heat collector is positioned between the first reflector and the second reflector so as to receive solar radiation reflected by the first reflector and the second reflector.