While both 'work' technically, you're still paying to buy and maintain the electro-mechanical system of the heliostat to get an improvement in PV output [2]

So, the active-tracking investment is in competition with the brute-force approach: just buy and install more super-affordable PV panels. e.g. put some oriented for morning light, some for afternoon, etc.

I've heard first-hand that SV VC investors were shocked how fast PV got cheap vs more-complex / active systems like Ivanpah.

If you're optimizing a single PV asset for max output (constrained PV panel supply), active tracking pays off - but in most non-maritime or space applications, it's better just to install more fixed-position PV panels because they are cheap and because supporting a mechanical system can be expensive.

All that said, we think there are huge applications for non-CSP use of heliostats, e.g. for industrial and agricultural heat. [3]

But CSP's usefullness for electricity production is uncertain at best, IMO.

[1] http://www.lm.solar/heliostats/ [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S22131... [3] https://lm.solar/solar-plastic-molding/