Scientists from the land down under have set a world record in efficiency for a solar thermal dish generating steam used to create electricity. The Australian scientists redesigned their concentrating solar thermal system and found that 97% of sunlight was converted into steam. It’s the best conversation rate ever seen for concentrated solar, and continues the trend of growth for thermal capacity, which has improved by a factor of 10. The breakthrough could lead to the generation of cheaper base-load electricity from renewable energy while slowing climate change.