Final answer:
Heliostats' ability to track the sun's movement is crucial in maximizing solar energy capture, as this alignment ensures the constant concentration of sunlight for optimal energy generation.
Step-by-step explanation:
An important characteristic of heliostats that helps them harness more solar energy is that they track the sun's movement. This dynamic tracking allows the heliostats to continuously align with the Sun throughout the day, maximizing the amount of sunlight they can capture and concentrate. In solar thermal plants, mirrors known as parabolic troughs are often used to focus sunlight on a pipe or receiver, where the concentrated solar energy is then used to heat fluids, generating steam to produce electricity through turbines. The ability of these mirrors to track the solar path is critical to their efficiency and the overall effectiveness of the solar power system.