A place in a concentrating solar power plant where the sun’s rays heat a heat transfer medium such as water, air, oil, or even molten salts. In a central tower solar power plant, the absorber is located in a tall tower on which flat mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays. Temperatures in the absorber exceed 500 °C. Parabolic collectors have the absorber at the focal point of the parabolic mirror. Solar collectors have a flat absorber that is heated by the incident sunlight.