▁Collect ors ▁that ▁focus ▁the ▁sun ▁( like ▁a ▁magn ifying ▁glass ) ▁can ▁reach ▁high ▁temper atures ▁and ▁effic ien cies . ▁These ▁are ▁called ▁concentr ating ▁collect ors . ▁Typ ically , ▁these ▁collect ors ▁are ▁on ▁a ▁tra cker , ▁so ▁they ▁always ▁face ▁the ▁sun ▁directly . ▁Because ▁these ▁collect ors ▁focus ▁the ▁sun ' s ▁ray s , ▁they ▁only ▁use ▁the ▁direct ▁ray s ▁coming ▁straight ▁from ▁the ▁sun . ▁ ▁Other ▁solar ▁collect ors ▁are ▁simply ▁flat ▁pan els ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁mounted ▁on ▁a ▁roof ▁or ▁on ▁the ▁ground . ▁Cal led ▁flat - plate ▁collect ors , ▁these ▁are ▁typically ▁fixed ▁in ▁a ▁t ilt ed ▁position ▁correl ated ▁to ▁the ▁latitude ▁of ▁the ▁location . ▁This ▁allows ▁the ▁collect or ▁to ▁best ▁capture ▁the ▁sun . ▁These ▁collect ors ▁can ▁use ▁both ▁the ▁direct ▁ray s ▁from ▁the ▁sun ▁and ▁reflected ▁light ▁that ▁comes ▁through ▁a ▁cloud ▁or ▁off ▁the ▁ground . ▁Because ▁they ▁use ▁all ▁available ▁sun light , ▁flat - plate ▁collect ors ▁are ▁the ▁best ▁choice ▁for ▁many ▁northern ▁states . ▁ ▁The ▁Ren ew able ▁Energy ▁Atlas ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁estimated ▁the ▁annual ▁solar ▁electric ity ▁generation ▁potential ▁in ▁Wy oming ▁to ▁be ▁ 7 2 ▁billion ▁k Wh , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁following ▁assumptions : ▁ ▁Ro o ft op ▁and ▁open ▁space ▁installed ▁systems ▁represent ▁ 0 . 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁state . ▁ ▁Sol ar ▁pan els ▁occup y ▁ 3