Honolulu-based Sopogy Inc. today unveiled the latest version of its patented solar thermal technology that generates energy from the sun’s rays more efficiently than the company’s previous systems.

The new SopoHelios solar thermal collectors are larger than ones used on the Sopogy’s older SopoNova system, thereby reducing the number of collectors needed to produce the same amount of power by 33 percent, the company said. Sopogy announced the new product at the Solar Power International Conference in Dallas.

“Requiring fewer collectors reduces engineering and construction costs and speeds up the solar field assembly,” said Darren Kimura, Sopogy president and chief executive officer. “SopoHelios maximizes the efficiency for our solar thermal systems and significantly improves the system paybacks,” he said.

Sopogy’s “MicroCSP” technology features mirrored troughs that use solar energy to create steam, which in turn spins a turbine to generate electricity. Sopogy will use the SopoHelios solar collectors at a planned five-megawatt solar energy project in Kalaeloa.