Since the 18th Party Congress of the CPC, the Chinese leadership has emphasized ‘top-level design’ in their strategic thinking on reform. In practice, they have attempted to dialectically combine ‘top-level design’ with the approach of ‘crossing the river by feeling the stones’. Such efforts have led to the emergence of a range of decision-making, implementation and supervision institutions primarily aimed at implementing ‘top-level design’. With top-level decision makers demonstrating both ambition and a sense of urgency, the shift in reform strategies has also placed new pressures on local Party and government organizations, which have been forced to accordingly adjust their thinking and behavior. There are some tensions between the current top-down manner of institutionalization and the tradition of lower-level autonomy which began after the initiation of reform and opening up. How to translate such tensions into momentum for reform is an issue meriting further observation and analysis.

In this paper, a flux distribution model of the focal plane in dish concentrator system has been established based on ray tracking method. This model was adopted for researching the influence of the mirror slope error, solar direct normal irradiance, and tracking error of elevation-azimuth tracking device (EATD) on the focal spot characteristics (i.e., flux distribution, geometrical shape, centroid position, and intercept factor). The tracking error transmission law of the EATD transferred to dish concentrator was also studied. The results show that the azimuth tracking error of the concentrator decreases with the increase of the concentrator elevation angle and it decreases to 0 mrad when the elevation angle is 90°. The centroid position of focal spot along x-axis and y-axis has linear relationship with azimuth and elevation tracking error of EATD, respectively, which could be used to evaluate and calibrate the tracking error of the dish concentrator. Finally, the transmission law of the EATD azimuth tracking error in solar heliostats is analyzed, and a dish concentrator using a spin-elevation tracking device is proposed, which can reduce the effect of spin tracking error on the dish concentrator. This work could provide fundamental for manufacturing precision allocation of tracking devices and developing a new type of tracking device.

The environmental challenges posed by global warming have significantly increased the global pursuit of renewable and clean energy sources. Among these, solar energy stands out due to its abundance, renewability, low environmental impact, and favorable long-term economic viability. However, its intermittent nature and dependence on weather conditions hinder consistent and efficient utilization. To address these limitations, nanoparticle-enhanced phase change materials (NPCMs) have emerged as a promising solution for enhancing thermal energy storage in solar thermal systems. NPCMs incorporate superior-performance nanoparticles within traditional phase change material matrices, resulting in improved thermal conductivity, energy storage density, and phase change efficiency. This review systematically examines the recent advances in NPCMs for solar energy applications, covering their classification, structural characteristics, advantages, and limitations. It also explores in-depth analytical approaches, including mechanism-oriented analysis, simulation-based modelling, and algorithm-driven optimization, that explain the behavior of NPCMs at micro and macro scales. Furthermore, the techno-economic implications of NPCM integration are evaluated, with particular attention to cost-benefit analysis, policy incentives, and market growth potential, which collectively support broader adoption. Overall, the findings highlight NPCMs as a frontier in materials innovation and enabling technology for achieving low-carbon, environmentally responsible energy solutions, contributing significantly to global sustainable development goals.